Turkish Education Ministry outlines sweeping reforms for 2025

Turkish Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin announced a set of significant reforms and changes to Türkiye’s education system in 2025 on Sunday.

One of the major upcoming changes is that progress or development reports will replace report cards across elementary schools. The move is to provide a more detailed and individualized assessment of student’s progress during their early years in education.

Several significant reforms are taking place:

• Transition to High School Exam (LGS): The LGS will not be completely abolished yet content adjustments are taking place.
• Private school fees, regulations: Private schools having to adhere to price increase regulations have resulted in inflating the prices of other services, such as prices of books and transportation fees. The ministry will monitor and introduce new regulations to curb the practice.
• Teacher selection process: The selection of teachers depends on the results from the Public Personnel Selection Exam (KPSS), but beginning in July 2025, the selection of teachers will require the review of the Academy Entrance Exam (AGS) results.
• Digital addiction: New reforms are on the agenda to undermine digital addiction in pupils. Tekin noted that several government organs were working in coordination to address this concern. Another topic of concern has been teachers putting students on social media channels without proper approval and consent.
• Educational support to Syria: The Turkish Ministry of Education is preparing to support Syria regarding teacher training, curriculum development, and textbook creation.
• Intelligence tests to become domestic: Tests that assess intelligence are going to be replaced by domestic tests and no longer rely on foreign assessments.

Minister Tekin emphasized that the changes and reforms planned for 2025 aim to enhance transparency, equality and quality within the educational system.

Reforms, such as the introduction of the Academy Entrance Exam for teachers, the new system of development reports in elementary schools, and stricter regulations for special school fees, signal a shift toward a more merit-based, modern and equitable educational environment.