Public Education in Turkey Between the 1960 and 1980 Coups: Reflections in Cumhuriyet Newspaper

Abstract

Until the Industrial Revolution, literacy was a privilege monopolized by a elite; however, alongside changing socio-economic conditions, it transformed into a necessity for the general public. In Turkey, public education initiatives were initiated during the late Ottoman period, spanning through the Second Constitutional Era and into the Republican era. Following the 1928 Alphabet Reform under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, literacy campaigns and vocational courses were launched to foster individual and societal development. Although interest in these programs waned during World War II, the political turning point of 1960 placed public education back on the national agenda. Following the overthrow of the Democrat Party government, the National Unity Committee initiated widespread educational activities, aiming to expand adult literacy campaigns and vocational training nationwide. This study examines the reflections of public education policies in Cumhuriyet newspaper between 1960 and 1980. By analyzing two decades of Cumhuriyet archives, this research traces the period's institutional expectations, operational challenges, and proposed policy solutions regarding public education. Archival documents from the Directorate of State Archives of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey and official government programs established between 1960 and 1980 constitute the primary sources of the investigation. Methodologically, this study adopts a qualitative approach, employing historical analysis and document analysis techniques to evaluate how public education was conceptualized and debated in the post-1960 era.