The project team that developed this report would like to thank the Turkish government, under the leadership of the Ministry of National Education (MoNE), for their support and contributions. In particular, the team would like to thank the Minister of Education, Professor Dr Mahmut Özer, as well as Deputy Ministers Professor Dr Petek Askar and Dr Sadri Sensoy for their direction and guidance.
This report was developed in co-operation with UNICEF, whose staff provided valuable guidance and direction. We are indebted to the support and insights of the UNICEF Türkiye office, notably Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF Representative in Türkiye, Rory Robertshaw, Chief of Education, Associate Professor Dr Mehmet Buldu, Education Specialist and Programme Manager, Dr Arif Yilmaz, Education Specialist, Zeynet Öztunca Aytuğan, Education Officer, Gözde Öztürk Nur, Education Officer, and Hazal Varol, Education Programme Associate.
We are very grateful to the officials and education experts from MoNE who have oriented and guided the OECD team. We would also like to thank the officials and experts who graciously shared their insights and knowledge with us during the national workshop on the report and meetings during the project team’s visit to Ankara, in particular, Tuncay Morkoc, Director General of Basic Education, Halil Ibrahim Topcu, Director General of Secondary Education, Dr Murat Ilikhan, Director General of Measurement Evaluation and Examination Services, Songul Kocer, Section Head of Basic Education, Haci Ali Okur, Section Head of Secondary Education, Sibel Satana, Section Head of Measurement Evaluation and Examination Services, Dr Cigdem Fidan, Education Specialist in Basic Education, Umut Erkin Tas, Education Specialist in Measurement Evaluation and Exam Services, Rukiye Yildiz, Education Specialist in Secondary Education, and Hanife Merve Erdogan, Education Specialist in Basic Education.
We would also like to extend our thanks to all the directors-general, section heads, specialists, associate specialists and teachers in the MoNE General Directorates of Basic Education, Secondary Education, Measurement Evaluation and Exam Services, Technical and Vocational Education, Religious Instruction, Lifelong Learning, Special Education and Counselling Services, Innovation and Education Technologies, Teacher Training and Development, Information Technology, European Union and Foreign Affairs, Private Education, Support Services, Strategy Development Directorate and the MoNE Board of Education along with the Assessment Specialists at the Government of Türkiye Measurement, Selection and Placement Center (OSYM).
The OECD project team was led by Hannah Kitchen and included Tarek Mostafa and Camilla Stronati, with oversight and support from Elizabeth Fordham, OECD Secretariat. The review team thanks Andreas Schleicher, Director, and Paulo Santiago, Head of the Policy Advice and Implementation Division, for their support and contributions. Lidia Gromadzka and Rachel Linden provided administrative support and oversaw the publication process and Eleonore Morena edited the report.