EDUCATION
Today the educational system is in the midst of a process of expansion, necessary to cope with educating the youngest population in Europe, 60% of Turkeys poulation is under the age of 28. In August 1997 compulsory basic education was extended from five to eight years. It is estimated that over 1,1 million children will receive three extra years of free basic education as a result.
The government aims to reduce average classroom density from 50 to 
30 students by increasing the number of both classrooms and teachers. Increased emphasis is being placed on the teaching of foreign languages and on computer skills. It is proposed to increase teachers salaries. These reforms will be financed by increased taxation and by investment from the IBRD and the World Bank.
Many private schools, universities and institutes of higher education are being established, offering excellent standards and facilities. Native speaker are commonly employed to encourage mastery of foreign languages, in order to underwrite Turkeys' increasingly open society. Turkish schools, even when struggling with under funding,display high levels of staff professionalism and dedication, strong student motivation and parental and community involvement.
Among the foreign high schools operating in Turkey is:
Marmara Koleji Bodrum
Marmara Private High School is a co-educational boarding school with a capacity to board 750 students. It was founded in July 1991 and accredited by the Turkish Ministry of Education in August 1991. It is a part of the Marmara Schools, which is located on its new campus, Marmara Education Village. Marmara Schools acting on the motto 'From Nursery to University' is at the service of students with the kindergarten, Primary School, three high schools - one of which specializing in Science, another specialing for Radio-TV and Journalism. Maltepe University is also part of the group. There are also the Marmara Schools in Bodrum with a kindergarten, primary school and a high school.
Marmara Private High School offers a university preparatory education with a bilingual academic program; an intensive study of the English language starting as early as kindergarten prepares the students for a bilingual national curriculum where some subjects are taught in English. Starting with grade 5, German is taught as a second language.
In addition to the Turkish Curriculum, the International Baccalaureate Program is offered at Özel Marmara Lisesi. To be able to offer IBPYP in 2004-2005 academic year, feasibility studies and teacher training are in progress. Marmara schools has already started implementing IBMYP. In addition to IBO qualifications, students take UCLES and TOEFL English proficiency examinations.
The Marmara Education Village has utilized the latest building techniques and incorporates these components; modern laboratories, a planetarium-observatory, an information technology centre, testing and assessment centre, a multimedia centre, libraries with internet connections, a health centre, conference halls, radio and television studios, a cinema and theatre, an amphitheater, indoor Olympic swimming pool, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, football fields, squash courts, a gymnasium, fitness centers, an ice rink, zoo, a paddock, greenhouses and botanic gardens, a guest house, Alumni Association Centre and an internet café at Marmara Private High School.
Students at Marmara Private High School are encouraged to take part in extra-curricular activities such as art and crafts, drama, music, dance, sports, ecology, chess, billiards, publication, competitions, quiz shows and debates. Marmara Schools have international ties with organizations like Life Link, Young Reporters for the Environment, Eco-Schools, Science Across Europe and SEMEP. Students are encouraged to take part in short and long term Exchange programs. Within the international links, the school also conducts Comenius Projects.
Schools educating in english, french and german
Alman Lisesi - Deutsche Schule, Istanbul
American Collegiate Institute, Ozel Izmir Amerikan Lisesi, Izmir
Istanbul International Community School, Istanbul
Lycee Charles De Gaulle, Ankara
Lycee de Galatasaray, Istanbul
Lycee Francais Saint-Benoît, Istanbul
METU Development Foundation School, Ankara
Oesterreichisches St. Georgs-Kolleg, Istanbul
Robert College of Istanbul, Istanbul
TED Ankara Private School, Ankara
Uskudar American Academy, Istanbul
Uskudar Anadolu Lisesi, Istanbul
Higher Education
There are currently 54 universities in Turkey. Students earn places in university through a two-phase examination (OYS and OSS) held yearly by the Centre for Student Selection and Placement. Following high school, many young people spend a year studying at private institutions (ozel dershaneler) in order to pass these exams successfully. For foreigners who would like to study in Turkey, there is a special examination for which the papers are given in both English and Turkish, following which they are given a year in which to study Turkish. During 1991-1992 there were 14,548 foreign students in Turkish universities of which almost half were from the Turkic republics.
The list of universities in Turkey is as follows:
Ankara
Ankara University
Bilkent University (private)Gazi University
Hacettepe University
Middle-East Technical University
Istanbul
Bogazici University
Istanbul Technical University
Marmara University
Mimar Sinan University
Yildiz University
Kadir Has University (private)
Koc University (private)
Yeditepe University (private)
Bilgi University (private)
Izmir
Dokuz Eylul University
Ege University
Izmir High Technology University
Kocaeli
Kocaeli University
Gebze High Technology University
Others
Adana Cukurova University
Afyon Kocatepe University
Antalya Akdeniz University
Aydin Adnan Menderes University
Balikesir Balikesir University
Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University
Bursa Uludag University
Canakkale Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University
Denizli Pamukkale University
Edirne Trakya University
Elazig Firat University
Erzurum Ataturk University
Eskisehir Anadolu University
Gaziantep Gaziantep University
Isparta Suleyman Demirel University
Icel Mersin University
Hatay Mustafa Kemal University
Kahramanmaras Kahramanmaras Sutcuimam University
Kars Kafkas University
Kayseri Erciyes University
Kirikkale Kirikkale University
Konya Selcuk University
Kutahya Dumlupinar University
Malatya Inonu University
Manisa Celal Bayar University
Mugla Mugla University
Nigde Nigde University
Sakarya Sakarya University
Samsun Ondokuz Mayis University
Sivas Cumhuriyet University
Sanliurfa Harran University
Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University
Trabzon Karadeniz Technical University
Van Yuzuncu Yil University
Zonguldak Karaelmas University.
