Pre-School Educational Process of Turkey

Abstract

Children make a rapid development physically, cognitively and affectively in preschool educational period (age 0 - 6). The cognitive dimension of a child at pre-school age is creative, independent and imaginary. The imagination unceasingly works. This period is regarded as the time that the children have high potential of learning and developing. Thus, the quality of preschool education affects the higher educational success and even the lifelong success of the child. Therefore the aims of the research are to emphasize the importance of preschool education on the development of the child, to make a comparison between the preschool education of Turkey and other developed countries and to support preschool education by explaining why and how the preschool education in Turkey should be improved. In this research, case study method from data collection methods was used; related written and electronic resources were collected, analyzed and interpreted in line with the research purpose. The following suggestions are developed in order to improve the preschool education in Turkey: Service delivery models that increase the participation to preschool education should be varied; the preschool educational facilities should be extended supporting the access of regions with limited financial means and regulations that decreasing the educational costs of families should be adopted. For all children, especially for families with low income, preschool educational institutions should be free like in more than half of European Union countries or preschool educational costs should be arranged in accordance with family incomes and other criterion, and families should be supported. The improvement and development priority should be given to preschool educational stage, accordingly physical resources (building, materials, substructure) and human resources (manager, educator, deputy manager and support staff) should be provided. Besides preschool teaching departments should be opened in faculties of education in universities and the quota of preschool teaching departments should be increased.