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Time Spent at School is Never a Waste of Time: A Comparison Study
Abstract
Given the social, geographical and economic differences between countries, it is inevitable that the planning and evaluation processes of education systems, and therefore the education policies adopted by countries, will vary. These social, geographical and economic differences are also an important factor influencing the organisation of countries' academic calendars. In this context, each country shapes its educational processes according to its own conditions. The aim of this study is to examine the duration of education by comparing the academic calendar in Türkiye with that of OECD countries. Qualitative research methods, specifically document analysis, were used to collect data. The study began with an analysis of the duration of education and holidays in the selected countries. Then, the differences in class hours and holiday periods were revealed in detail, and the impact of these differences on education quality was discussed. After that, Türkiye's 180-day academic calendar was examined, and the advantages and disadvantages of the mid-term holiday system were evaluated. The findings have revealed that Türkiye has longer summer holidays and shorter class hours compared to OECD countries. In conclusion, it has been stated that the academic calendar in Türkiye can be made compatible with OECD standards. In this regard, it has been emphasised that increasing the duration of education, shortening long holidays, increasing social activities, and improving performance evaluations can be beneficial. This research presents an optimisation proposal aimed at increasing the effectiveness of education policies in Türkiye and strengthening competitiveness.
Keywords
Supporting Institution
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Ethical Statement
The article titled “Time Spent at School is Never a Waste of Time: A Comparison Study” is original research; we as the authors of the article have acted according to scientific ethics, principles, and rules at all stages of the research (preparation, literature review, data collection, data analysis, presentation); we have included all of the works used in this study in the references; we have not made any changes to the data while using the data; the research does not contain plagiarism; we state that we have complied with ethical duties and responsibilities by accepting all the terms and conditions of the Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Directive of Higher Education Institutions and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Principles; we state to accept all moral and legal consequences in case any situation contrary to our statement regarding our research is detected.
Thanks
The authors have thanked Dr. Ceyda Durmus for her support, collaboration, and guidance.
References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Education Management , Education Policy
Journal Section
Research Article
Publication Date
June 30, 2025
Submission Date
February 4, 2025
Acceptance Date
May 10, 2025
Published in Issue
Year 2025 Number: 2