Accessibility and Affordability of Early Childhood Education and Care Services in Türkiye
Comparative Education and the Mediterranean Region, Brill, Leiden , ss.180-195, 2025
- Yayın Türü: Kitapta Bölüm / Araştırma Kitabı
- Basım Tarihi: 2025
- Doi Numarası: 10.1163/9789004733664_013
- Yayınevi: Brill, Leiden
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.180-195
- Anahtar Kelimeler: accessibility of ECEC, ECEC in Türkiye, inequalities in ECEC
- Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This chapter examines significant disparities in access to early childhood education and care (ECEC) services in Türkiye, focusing on children from economically disadvantaged families. It outlines the current ECEC system, highlighting inequalities driven by insufficient public investment, regional disparities, and the high costs of private services, which collectively contribute to low enrolment rates, particularly in underprivileged areas. Key recommendations include making ECEC compulsory and free, expanding public services, increasing financial support for low-income families, addressing regional inequalities through targeted investments promoting decentralization to foster collaboration among families, communities and other agencies. Decentralization would also enable better financing of ECEC by leveraging resources from local governments and businesses. The chapter underscores the importance of comprehensive public policies, enhanced teacher training and improved infrastructure to ensure equitable and high-quality ECEC access. Future directions emphasize scaling up effective practices and adopting social welfare-oriented policies to bridge the opportunity gap and promote inclusivity in early education.