The functions and implications of educational reform on socioeconomically disadvantaged students

Date

2023-8

Author

Erberk, Elif

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The purpose of the study was to find out the implications of the 4+4+4 education reform on socioeconomically disadvantaged students. The study was conducted with a mixed-methods research design. Accordingly, schools were selected by the cluster sampling method and 44.290 students were sample of the study. Next, 48 participants were selected through the criterion sampling method. Raw data registered in the e-school system and a semi-structured interview form were utilized in collecting the data. Descriptive analysis and content analysis were employed to analyze the data. Quantitative research findings revealed that the 4+4+4 reform has adversely affected academic achievement in all levels of schools. Although the number of the students increased after the reform, the distribution over years showed that the number of students, particularly female students, decreased. In addition, the results indicated that both first and second semester absenteeism, particularly those higher than 40 days, increased in all school levels after the reform. Qualitative research results highlighted the perceptions of the internal and external stakeholders about the reform in education system. Almost all participants asserted that the reform was sudden, ideological and top-down. According to the teachers and school principals, the 4+4+4 reform negatively affected both students and the practitioners of the reform. Besides, the reform particularly affected 1st, 5th, and 9th grade students. Furthermore, the participants emphasized that socioeconomically disadvantaged students were affected by the reforms much more due to inequality of opportunity in education. Moreover, education is no longer a stepping stone to class mobility for socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

Subject Keywords

The 4+4+4 education reform, Conflict Theory, Equality of Opportunity in Education, Social Justice Implementations, Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/105153

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis