The Greek Education System and Implications for the Turkish Education System

Abstract

The purpose of the current study is to make a detailed introduction to the Greek education system and to compare it with the Turkish education system to come up with some implications for the latter. To this end, the literature was reviewed. A general introduction was made to Greece and its education system was examined considering its goals, structure and process dimensions. Similar and different aspects of the Greek and Turkish education system were discussed and various suggestions were developed. The Greek and Turkish education systems have many similarities such as having a centralized structure, students’ obligation to take a general exam to get a place at university, provision of the primary and secondary education by the state. On the other hand, these two systems differ from each in many respects such as conception of secular education, duration of compulsory education, financing of higher education, administrative structure of schools, prevalence of evening classes, appointment of principals and inspection of schools. As a result of the comparison of these two education systems, in short it can be said that: If teachers’ opinions are taken into consideration in the appointment of school principals, greater importance is attached to self-assessment, development-oriented inspection is put into effect and inspectors are obliged to have a master’s degree to be an inspector in Turkey, then some important contributions can be made to the development of the Turkish education system.