TURKEY'S EDUCATIONAL POLICY DURING AK PARTY GOVERNMENT: REFORM OR FAILURE? (2002-2014)

All political events since 2002 when Justice and Development Party (AKP) with a liberal and moderate conservative policy came to power in Turkey have occurred at a dizzying speed and changed the course of the political, economic and social development of Turkey. Especially the adjustments in terms of education has made AKP one of the most prominent actors in the reform process. The fundamental educational reform areas of AKP that has been in power for 12 years without any interruption consist of providing equality of opportunity in education, redesigning of the curriculum, enhancing organizational capacity, internationalizing education and disseminating higher education. The main purpose of this research is to determine whether the educational policies of AKP that has been in power between the years 2002-2014 have succeeded in the fundamental reform areas or not. According to the results, it is concluded that the accomplishment of the goals related with education in the party programme of AKP has been expanded into 12 years. The fact that the goals of AKP and the developmental goals of the state are in accordance reinforces the attainability of these goals. As a result of the educational policies of AKP there has been a marked improvement in the field of the schooling and enrollment rate, the budget of Ministry of Education, decreasing gender differences in education. Furthermore the average of PISA 2013 has increased significantly in terms of various variables when compared to PISA 2003. Under the lights of assessments in education in 2013 progress report of EU, it has been determined that the increase in the numbers of universities in higher education and the schooling rate has not affected the quality of education given, there have been some problems as the adjustments of curriculum were not planned enough and despite the significant decrease of gender differences in education, the ratio is still far beyond the EU average. According to the results and findings of the research, it can be agreed that AKP can be regarded as successful since it pursued policies consistent with the goals of AKP. With regard to experience got through this long reform process, it can be said that it is necessary for the educational goals of AKP in 2023 to be based on a substantial philosophical ground and to be qualified enough to end the philosophical searchs of Turkish educational system.