Türkiye’de Eğitimsel Eşitsizlik ve Toplumsal Tabakalaşma İlişkisine Dair Ampirik Bir Çalışma

Introduction In the case of inequality in education, social stratification is considered to be a crucial variable. However, though social stratification can lead to substantial inequality in education, inequality in education also creates a process that further feeds stratification, creating a vicious cycle in terms of social inequalities. In current research on social stratification, it is necessary to adopt a conceptual schema that defines the layers of stratification. Conceptual schemas vary according to the stratification theory on which they are based. There are two leading researchers who are working on developing conceptual schemas: first, Goldthorpe, who has conducted studies on conceptual schema based on Weber’s theory of stratification and, second, Wright, who based his research on Marx’s theory on social classes. The aim of this study is to analyze educational inequalities Turkey in terms of social strata. Within the framework of this general aim, the authors sought to answer two questions by examining the education level of both the general and school age populations in terms of social strata: 1) How can Turkey’s population be described according to education level, enrollment rate (for school age population), employment status, and income level? 2) On the basis of the social class structure of the layers, what are the educational inequalities which can be detected in Turkey? Method The current study utilizes data from TSI's 2006 Household Budget Survey. The Household Budget Survey is one of the most important resources in examining the socioeconomic structures, living standards, consumption patterns, and disposable incomes of households and to test the validity of the applied socio-economic policies. Using the framework of this data set, social strata were created. Within each social stratum, individuals’ level of education, average income, and training period was calculated. In addition, the enrollment rate of the school age population and the average income levels of the household in which they live were also calculated. In this study, relationships between the educational level of the adult population and both gender and income are examined. In addition, the relation between enrollment rates of both gender and the average income per person in the household are examined in terms of social strata. First, the data from TSI’s 2006 Household Budget Survey were processed and analyzed using the SPSS 11.5 statistical package program. Researchers performed a statistical analysis using chi-square, correlation, and analysis of variance according to the characteristics of the data. Findings The average educational period for people who have completed school is calculated as 6.09 years. Taking into account that the duration of primary education is eight years, it turns out that the average educational level of the population is below the level of primary education. The average education duration for men is 7.18 years while that of women is 5.07 years, a gender difference which proved to be statistically significant. The annual per capita income is calculated as 8.542 TL. Individuals who are illiterate, literate but did not graduate from primary school, and those who graduated only from primary school or primary education but did not continue in school have an average income below the annual per capita income (8.542 TL). Again there are clear gender differences in average income; the average income of men is 10.564 TL while that of women is 3.317 TL. A situation arises against girls when we look at gender differences in enrollment rate. At the primary education level, there are no significant differences in enrollment rates of girls when compared with that of boys. However, there are significant enrollment differences between boys and girls in later educational levels. Indeed, the higher the level of education, the greater the inequalities experienced by girls. Another dimension of educational inequality is a problem arising from the inequality of income. The general opinion is that income inequality will also create inequality in education. In this study, it is determined that the children who are students come from households that have a higher per capita income than those children who are not students. This situation shows that children who come from low income per capita households are facing problems regarding their access to education. When we look at the average duration of education according to social strata, it turns out that qualified workers and urban professionals are well educated. On the other hand, the agricultural laborers are emerging as the worst educated. In all social classes, women have lower education levels than men do. In the case of unskilled laborers, agricultural laborers, and unpaid family workers, independent from their gender, there is not a strong relationship between their income and education level. In the case of capitalist women, urban professionals, peasants, agricultural laborers, and unpaid family workers, there isn’t a strong relationship between their income and education level, either. On the other hand, when women work as small capitalists, special management laborers, skilled laborers, and laborers, there is a strong relationship between their income and education level. Finally, there is a moderate positive relationship between income and educational level when women work as small business owners or unskilled laborers, In this study, it is clear that social classes attribute different values to education. Those who are in the upper social layers, such as special management laborers, urban professionals, and qualified laborers, give special attention to education in order to transfer an existing class status to their children. Those who are in the social layers of capitalists and small capitalists do not give the same importance to education as other layers. Because they owe their social status to the capital they possess, they don’t need education in order to transfer their class status to their children. Indeed, in this study, the average education level of the capitalist class is below that of urban professionals, qualified laborers and laborers. Conclusion and Recommendations Education levels are very low in Turkey. This is a serious problem in terms of social inequality. Almost half of the people who are beyond school age are primary school graduates. In addition, a substantial part of the working age population is illiterate. Educational inequalities constitute an important source of social inequality, and they greatly stem from gender inequality. In terms of income, women lag behind men significantly; the average income of working women is less than half of the average income of working men. Income distribution is an important factor in terms of access to education. In each level of education, the average household income of the children who do not have access to education is less than that of the children who are able to access education. In addition, in advanced educational levels, the children who have greater household income have greater access to education. As a result, the distribution of income plays an important role on access to education. The findings of the research show that there is a serious polarization of the working class in terms of education. Among the working class, the average education durations of laborers and qualified laborers are considerably higher than those of unqualified laborers, agricultural laborers, and unpaid family workers. Since wages are determined by jobs rather than people, education has a limited role in determining the wage. That’s why educational differences among the workers in the secondary job market do not lead to differences in individual earnings. As a result, it has been meaningless that the workers in the secondary job market strive to increase their future earning capacity by improving their educational level. Even though it is thought that education has a major role in social mobility of the lower class to upper class, facts are not so. While the education system is expected to create an egalitarian social order, the opposite situation arises. As set forth in the study, to be included in the social class which they belong to, for urban professionals, qualified laborers, and laborers, education has seen as an important gain. The average education level of these social classes is higher than that of other social classes. Again, children of urban professional, qualified laborers and laborers have more opportunities than those of other social classes do. In analyzing inequalities in education, as in all spheres of society, it always comes back to an analysis of social class. However, from analyzing existent data, Turkey's social class structure is quite limited. In addition, there is no continuity of data. In this context, additional constant field research about social class structure is required to fully appreciate and understand the social and educational inequalities of Turkey.