A General Overview of Education Policy in Turkey (1920-1930)

The period of 1920-1930 is a period where a new state has sprouted and its foundations are laid. This new state has brought new formation and embodiment along with it. Therefore, a special importance was also given to education issue which constitutes the basic dynamics of the state in this period. The reforms that were occurred in Turkish Education between the years of 1920-1930 and the efforts that were conducted on behalf of education have a special significance in laying the foundations of Republic. In this study, the problems, developments, changes and innovations occurring in education are situated from the opening of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in April 23, 1920 to the education reforms located in the early years of the Republic and Schools of the nation that were opened after the adoption of the alphabet reform. In this direction, the developments which have taken place in Turkish education on the basis of the activities of the National Education Ministers of each period were included in this study. Therefore, the targeted education policies within those 10 years, the educational activities that were made in line with the targets and also most importantly some principles which constitute the basis of the Turkish education system were mentioned in the study. Consequently, the problems in Turkish Education are tried to be minimized and the education is started to be improved due to some institutions and organizations that were established in despite of all of the difficulties in Turkish education system in the years of 1920-1930. Those developments, changes and innovations that have happened between these years are tried to be clarified, by giving as a reference the opinions of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the Ministers of National Education related with the education, the study works and the press of that period.

Keywords

Republic, Mustafa Kemal, National Education, Education Policy, Education Reform