This country policy profile on education in Turkey is part of the Education Policy Outlook series. Building on the first policy profile for Turkey (2013), it offers a concise analysis of where the education system stands today in terms of strengths, challenges and ongoing policy efforts, and how this compares to other systems. The profile brings together over a decade's worth of policy analysis by the Education Policy Outlook, as well as the latest OECD data, relevant thematic and country-specific work and other international and national evidence. It also offers analysis of the Turkish education system's initial responses to the COVID-19 crisis and provides insight into approaches to building greater responsiveness and resilience for the future.

Turkey's education system stands out internationally as a success story. In recent decades, participation has been vastly expanded, becoming universal at lower levels of schooling and outperforming other middle-income countries in upper secondary education. However, the education system is also marked by disparities, with only around half of 15-year olds acquiring the essential competencies they need for life and work. This review, developed in co operation with UNICEF, suggests how student assessment can be used more effectively to better support all students to do well. It provides recommendations for enhancing teachers' classroom assessments, assessing a broader range of skills through national examinations and using the new national assessment to support improvements in learning and teachers' assessment practice.

This policy profile on education in Turkey is part of the Education Policy Outlook series, which presents comparative analysis of education policies and reforms across OECD countries. Designed for policy makers, analysts and practitioners who seek information and analysis of education policy taking into account the importance of national context, the country policy profiles offer constructive analysis of education policy in a comparative format. Each profile reviews the current context and situation of the country's education system and examine its challenges and policy responses, according to six policy levers that support improvement: students (how to raise outcomes for all in terms of 1- equity and quality and 2- preparing students for the future), institutions (how to raise quality through 3- school improvement and 4- evaluation and assessment), education system (how the system is organised to deliver education policy in terms of 5- governance and 6- funding).

As part of the OECD review on migrant education, countries were invited to provide information on their national migrant education policies. Note that this information is in addition to the full country background reports provided by the six countries participating in the policy review: Austria, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. The attached information was provided by Turkey using a standard international questionnaire on migrant education policies in response to longstanding diversity.

This review of education policies in Turkey takes place at a critical point in the nation's history. An improving economy, greater governmental continuity and a more stable social environment, coupled with the extraordinary challenge of Turkey's candidacy for EU accession, provide an unprecedented opportunity for a new phase of education reform. Over the past decade, Turkey has pursued a striking education reform agenda focused on implementing eight-year basic and compulsory education and increasing the participation of girls at the primary education level. The nation must now complement the drive for increasing enrolments and participation with efforts to improve quality. To reach the levels of education attainment and performance of the most advanced countries in Europe and OECD, Turkey must undertake sustained, multi-year, systemic reforms of its education system.