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THE ROLE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES IN THE TURKISH EDUCATION SYSTEM
Rafet ÖZKAN
Prof. Dr.
Ankara University, Faculty of Theology Department
of Philosophy and Religious Sciences, Ankara Turkey
Ayşegül Örseloğlu
Ankara University, Institute of Social Sciences, Department of Eastern Languages and
Literatures, Department of Indology, PhD Student, Ankara Turkey
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14435829
Abstract
Social Sciences introduces people to the society, region, country and the world they live
in. Among the subject areas of Social Sciences are important sciences such as History,
Geography, Civics, Sociology, Anthropology, Law and Psychology. Studies and examples
related to Social Sciences in Turks date back to very old times. After the establishment of the
Republic of Turkey, revolutions and innovations began to be made in different areas as
targeted. One of these innovations, Village Institutes, which have an important place in
Turkish educational life, slowly started its educational life on April 17, 1940.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Education, social sciences, Hasanoğlan Village Institute.
Introduction
Social sciences are a systematic field of study aimed at understanding human behavior,
social institutions and processes. Social sciences, which include disciplines such as history,
geography, sociology, psychology and anthropology, are not only an academic field of interest
but also have a critical role in the development of individuals and societies. In this paper, the
role of social sciences in the Turkish education system, its importance and future expectations
and suggestions will be evaluated in the light of literature.
Basic Functions of Social Sciences in the Education System
Development of Critical Thinking Skills: Social sciences provide students with the skills to
look at events from different perspectives, analyze and evaluate information. In this way,
students can produce more effective solutions to the problems they encounter (Özdemir,
2015).
Development of Social Consciousness: Disciplines such as history, geography and
sociology provide students with a deeper understanding of their own society and the world.
In this way, students learn to respect cultural differences, develop a sense of social
responsibility and adopt democratic citizenship values (Akın, 2018).
Development of Communication Skills: Discussions, presentations and project work in social
sciences courses enable students to communicate effectively. This skill is very important for
success in both academic and business life (Yılmaz, 2017).
Development of Problem Solving Skills: Social sciences provide students with the skills to
analyze complex problems and develop solutions. This skill is of vital importance in today's
fast and constantly changing world (Çetin, 2016).
Social Sciences in Turkish Education History
Studies and examples related to Social Sciences in Turks date back to very old times.
The oldest Turkish written documents known as the “Göktürk Inscriptions” are full of
historical, cultural and sociological information and messages in terms of content. In this
respect, it can be said that the first written documents related to Social Sciences in Turkish
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history are the Göktürk Inscriptions. Two important works written during the Karakhanids,
one of the first Muslim Turkish societies, “Divan-ı Lügatit-Türk and Kutadgu Bilig” are both
literary works and examples of social science studies. Nizamiye Madrasahs, established
during the Seljuk period in the 11th century, are among the most important institutions in
Turkish education and training history. In addition to Islamic sciences, sciences such as
Medicine, Mathematics and Philosophy were taught in Nizamiye Madrasahs. Although there is
no information that History and Geography courses were taught in these madrasahs, very
famous historians were trained and wrote valuable works during this period.
After the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, as targeted, revolutions and innovations
began to be made in different areas. Turkish intellectuals, especially Mustafa Kemal Atatürk,
wanted to take the country above the level of contemporary civilization. At this point, since it
was known that educated and qualified staff would be needed for the development of the
country, the priority in revolutions and innovations was education.
These revolutions aimed to increase the level of education of the people and to make the
people adopt the new republican regime. Some foreign experts were invited for the changes
and innovations that could be made in the field of education and their opinions were taken.
They presented their reports in line with the examinations and observations they made in
Turkey. It was seen that the education of the villagers was emphasized in the reports
presented by the foreign experts.
The necessity of providing educational services to every individual of the country, that is, to
all citizens without distinction between urban and villagers, began to be emphasized by the
Republic authorities. The aim was to close the gap between these two groups in order to
ensure that the villagers and city dwellers support the state as a whole in solving the
problems in the country and to mobilize them.
The basis of the education policies in the early years of the Republic was secularization,
citizenship and educating the villagers as a requirement of the existing agricultural economy
and providing them with jobs and professions. The idea of training teachers, especially for the
village, constitutes the basis of the education policies of the Republic period.
During the Mustafa Necati period, with the Law on Education Organization numbered 789 and
dated 22 March 1926, “Village Teachers’ Schools” were opened, and during Saffet Arıkan’s
term as Minister of Education (1936), “Training Courses” were opened upon Atatürk’s
suggestion to meet the teacher needs of the villages. These attempts and experiences
prepared the ground for the Village Institutes. İsmail Hakkı Tonguç, who was appointed as the
General Director of Primary Education during Saffet Arıkan’s term and continued his duty
during Hasan Âli Yücel’s term as Minister of Education, brought a new dimension to village
education. According to Tonguç, it was not possible for a nation where the village was not
developed and cared for to progress. Therefore, it was necessary to start education and
development movements from the villages. The basis for a country’s development could be
possible by reviving the village and the villagers.
Based on these ideas, Tonguç shaped his understanding of education and with the support of
Hasan Âli Yücel, “Village Institutes” were established on April 17, 1940. Village Institutes
aimed for a working environment in unity with their students, teachers, and master
instructors and based their education on the principle of production-oriented work. The
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expressions “education within work, through work, and within work” that characterize the
education in Village Institutes reflect the educational philosophy of these schools.
İsmail Hakkı Tonguç made a name for himself with the “education within work” philosophy
that he developed within the framework of the widespread educational understanding of that
period. His “education within work” principle is an understanding that is realized through the
coordinated use of mental and manual skills and does not contribute to production and
economy when either is used alone. In fact, Tonguç argued that society can develop thanks to
work education that is carried out with knowledge, reason, and logic, starting from rural
areas.
The education within work method emphasizes two elements in education. These are
“student activity” and “production”. Students who participated in production with real work
tools and work areas received a versatile education. Students who were personally involved
in the education, acted out the production together with the teacher, fully involved in the
work and taking responsibility for the implementation of the lesson. Village Institutes are
institutions that give importance to work and production and are founded on a foundation
that supports the active participation of students with the guidance of teachers in all
activities, and provides education by doing-living and integrating with real life.
Village Institutes, which have an important place in Turkish education life, started their
education life gradually after the Village Institutes Law passed by the parliament on April 17,
1940, and since this date, Village Institutes have been opened in 21 different regions of the
country. One of these Village Institutes that were opened is the Hasanoğlan Village Institute,
whose campus was provided in the Hasanoğlan village of Ankara, and the Hasanoğlan Higher
Village Institute, which was opened in 1942.
Applied Learning: Hasanoğlan Village Institute
Hasanoğlan Village Institute has an important place in the roles of Social Sciences in preparing
for professional life, contributing to individual development, and learning by applying.
Hasanoğlan Village Institute was opened in Ankara in 1941 and is a Village Institute covering
Ankara and several surrounding provinces. Hasanoğlan Village Institute has an important
place among the 21 Village Institutes in total located throughout the country. It has an
important place among Village Institutes due to its establishment in the capital of the country,
its being shown as an example to political figures coming from abroad, its easy accessibility in
terms of geography and location, and its becoming the High Village Institute in 1943.
The most important contribution of the Hasanoğlan and other Village Institutes system to our
educational life was perhaps the implementation of principles and methods that could not
enter schools and classes into life in nature. Thousands of teacher candidates learned by
experiencing them in these institutions and carried them to the schools they were assigned to.
Village children had the opportunity to transfer to higher education more easily. Knowledge
was used as a tool, not an aim. These institutions showed the invalidity of putting forward
financial inadequacy as an obstacle and paved the way for talented children of the people to
study up to the upper levels in education.
The education here was based on the concept of education for work, and most of the students
passed the course practically. Students who were trained as teachers and professionals in the
villages attended classes here according to their interests, and this was achieved by
separating students according to their wishes and abilities after the first time they came to the
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institute. Unlike other Village Institutes, health education was also provided in Hasanoğlan
Village Institutes, and personnel such as health officers and village midwives who would meet
the needs of the village in the field of health were also trained. Thanks to the culture lessons
given to each student, students also developed in terms of general culture and knowledge.
After 1942, a Higher Village Institute section was opened in Hasanoğlan. This was a higher
education institution opened with the aim of providing more academic and specialized
education to the students who graduated from Hasanoğlan and other Village Institutes in the
normal Village Institute, and to train teachers, inspectors, head teachers and mobile head
teachers for the Village Institutes. While there was no higher education institution in the field
of village education, Hasanoğlan Higher Village Institute was a primary place of education in
this field. Here, students coming from secondary education Village Institutes were trained to
become experts in their fields or to become teachers for Village Institutes and Higher Village
Institutes.
Education in the institutes was provided by dividing students into groups. This method, in
which students were divided into groups and conducted their lessons and studies, was the
cluster work method. Students and cluster head teachers fulfilled their duties in their work
areas and were directed to different areas. Students continued their development in their
work and all kinds of artistic and cultural activities with the on-the-job training and cluster
work method. With the cluster work method applied in the institutes, a work environment
was created where students could be active in all activities in cooperation.
Ice, a method applied in the institutes, ensured that the work was completed in a short time
through cooperation, while at the same time making serious contributions to the learning of
individuals within the institute community and strengthening their relationships with each
other. The participation of students in all work through cooperation had a positive effect on
each of them becoming knowledgeable on every subject and on the establishment of an
environment of unity and sharing within the institute. Starting with the leadership of Hasan
Âli Yücel and İsmail Hakkı Tonguç, Ice spread to all institutes and from the institutes to the
public. It can be said that students are active in cultural, sports and artistic activities as well as
in construction, carpentry, blacksmithing, sewing and agriculture. In theater plays, music
studies, folk dances and book readings, students and teachers planned their lessons and
works with cooperation and acted with joint works. This joint work greatly benefited the
students in gaining solidarity, cooperation and also moral values. The joint work that the
students showed in every lesson and work positively affected the development of community
awareness in the Institutes.
The spirit of cooperation of the Institutes grew over time and ensured the development of
cooperation and solidarity between the Institutes. Similarly, cooperation was also reflected in
the people around the Institutes. With cooperation, the Institutes did their own work,
continued their cooperation with other Institutes and helped each other by keeping their
communication with the public strong. Everything in the Institutes was done with community
awareness. The Institute community, waking up early in the morning, started the day by
playing folk dances together, doing sports, singing songs and folk songs. The sense of unity
and solidarity that began in the early hours of the day was evident in everything they did
throughout the day, and every task was accomplished through cooperation.
The Status of Social Sciences in the Turkish Education System
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The importance of social sciences in the Turkish education system is increasing. Especially
with the educational reforms made in recent years, more social scientific content has been
added to the curriculum. However, some problems need to be overcome in order for social
sciences to reveal their full potential. We can list these problems as follows:
Trend towards Rote Learning: An exam-oriented education system can prevent students from
developing critical thinking and analysis skills (Demir, 2019).
Shortage of Teachers: The lack of qualified teachers in the field of social sciences can
negatively affect the quality of education (Yılmaz, 2017).
Inadequate Use of Technology: Inadequate use of technological tools in social sciences courses
can limit students' learning experiences (Akın, 2018).
Expectations
In the future, it is anticipated that the role of social sciences in the Turkish education system
will increase. In particular, globalization, technological developments and social changes
further emphasize the importance of social sciences. In this context, the following
developments can be expected in the education system:
Proliferation of Project-Based Learning: More widespread use of project-based learning
methods that enable students to actively produce knowledge and develop problem-solving
skills (Çetin, 2016).
Integration of Technology into Education: Enrichment of learning experiences by using virtual
reality, augmented reality and other technological tools in social sciences courses (Akın,
2018).
Gaining Importance of Interdisciplinary Studies: Students gain a more holistic perspective by
encouraging interdisciplinary studies that bring different disciplines together (Özdemir,
2015).
Suggestions
Achievements that include social science disciplines can be included equally at all grade
levels.
The number of achievements in learning areas related to social science disciplines that are not
included or included in the program can be increased.
Importance can be given to other social science disciplines along with the disciplines of
history and geography that constitute the density (Demir, Haçat, 2018).
Studies on common language, religion and cultural unity can be increased.
There are many valuable scientists of Turkish origin who have shed light on the history of
sciences raised by the Turkish geography. The ideas and thoughts of great figures such as
Biruni, İbni Hazm, Kashgarlı Mahmud, Yusuf Has Hacip, Gazzali etc. who pioneered the field of
social sciences and grew up in the heart of the Turkestan geography that encompasses
especially Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and the entire Turkish geography should be brought to the
world agenda with publications to be made in SSCI and Scopus comprehensive journals. In
addition, we should ensure that this information reaches a wide audience by supporting the
existing journals with quality publications, which will be jointly established by scientists of
this geography with such a rich scientific history, and by increasing our own journals with
SSCI and SCOPUS coverage.
Conclusion
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Social sciences have a vital role in the development of individuals and societies. The more
effective use of social sciences in the Turkish education system will enable students to become
better citizens, better employees and better individuals. For this purpose, more importance
should be given to issues such as reviewing education policies, training teachers and
strengthening the equipment of schools.
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