Türkiye 2024

Key takeaways

Access to VET in Türkiye has improved in 2024, particularly for young learners. National authorities have introduced measures such as scholarships, free schoolbooks, accommodation, transport, and paid internships to boost enrolment, especially among socio-economically disadvantaged families. Students who complete internships – mandated by law for enterprises – often gain employment with the same companies or use their qualifications to start their own businesses. However, access to adult education remains more limited, despite the role VET plays in addressing unemployment. Public education and vocational training centres offer flexible programmes, and Türkiye’s performance in adult access is now slightly above the international average.

Learners in Türkiye benefit from flexible learning pathways and generally supportive conditions for progression and graduation. The system allows for smooth transitions between vocational and general education and into higher education. Performance in basic skills varies by group. Youth in VET now perform above the average observed across Torino Process countries, with improvements in maths and science since 2023, though overall PISA scores remain below OECD levels. Work-based learning is well integrated and contributes to strong employability outcomes, yet some employers continue to report gaps in occupation-specific skills. While adults tend to have stronger foundational skills than younger learners, performance in this group remains below the international average. Digital competence also remains a challenge.

Türkiye’s VET system performs well in most areas of management and organisation. Annual data on schools and learners are published and widely accessible, and quality assurance mechanisms are well developed. Leadership training is available, and internationalisation efforts continue to expand through programmes such as Erasmus+ and the establishment of international vocational high schools. Although stakeholder engagement has weakened slightly and financial investment remains modest, the system maintains a strong capacity to deliver essential resources. Learning materials are aligned with national and international standards, and infrastructure development remains a strategic priority through 2028.

Access to learning

Monitoring in the area of access to and participation to learning helps countries assess the extent to which initial VET, continuing VET and other learning opportunities are accessible and attractive to all learners, regardless of their individual backgrounds or reasons for participating. The data also reflects how well learners can expect to progress through and graduate from these learning opportunities.

Opportunities for lifelong learning: access and participation

In 2024, vocational education in Türkiye remains less popular among young learners than in many other countries in the Torino Process. Enrolment in upper secondary VET has declined slightly, but national authorities have introduced several measures to reverse this trend. These include scholarships, transportation services, free schoolbooks, and internship payments. Interns now receive a portion of the minimum wage and insurance coverage, making VET more attractive—particularly for students from low-income families. Many graduates are hired by the companies where they interned or go on to start their own businesses.

Türkiye’s 12th Development Plan (2024–2028) reinforces efforts to expand access by improving provision in underserved areas, promoting distance learning, and encouraging participation in lifelong learning. It targets disadvantaged groups—including women, persons with disabilities, and the long-term unemployed—and places a strong emphasis on engaging stakeholders like NGOs and employers in promoting vocational learning.

Adult access to VET has improved slightly since 2023 but remains an area of weaker system performance. Public education and vocational training centres offer flexible options for adult learners, and support measures include free transport and meals. Short-term courses also target youth not in employment or education, with programmes adapted to special needs. However, outcomes remain modest, and further expansion and investment are needed.

Once enrolled, learners benefit from a relatively flexible system that allows them to move between vocational and general education. There are no formal barriers to higher education progression, and transition between programmes or fields is possible. Special education students receive free transport and meals, helping make VET more inclusive.

In 2024, Türkiye continues to invest in making VET more attractive and accessible, especially for socio-economically disadvantaged groups. While youth participation remains low, financial incentives and flexible learning pathways help support access and progression. Access for adults has improved but still requires stronger outreach and investment. Continued efforts to expand provision, particularly in underserved areas, and improve alignment with labour market needs will be essential for strengthening Türkiye’s VET system.

The Torino Process is a regular review of national systems of vocational education and training as well as adult education. It is designed to analyse the ways in which national VET systems (including adult education) address the challenges of human capital development in a lifelong learning perspective. It was established by the European Training Foundation (ETF) in 2010 and has been carried out in partner countries in Southeastern Europe, Türkiye, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean ever since.

Monitoring in the context of the Torino Process describes the extent to which countries deliver on their commitments to learners in support of their learning through life (lifelong learning - LLL) in three major areas of policy and system performance: access to learning, quality of learning, and system organisation.

Quality of learning

Quality and relevance of learning is the area of monitoring that identifies how successfully the VET system provides basic skills and key competences to both young and adult learners. It highlights the relevance of VET programmes to the world of work and how effectively VET graduates transition into the labour market. Additionally, it monitors efforts to promote excellence across key domains, including pedagogy, professional development, programme content, governance, and social inclusion, as well as the openness of the VET system to innovation in response to the evolving needs of learners and labour markets.

Lifelong learning outcomes: quality and relevance, excellence and innovation

In Türkiye, the quality of skills gained through VET varies by learner group. Performance is stronger for youth compared to peers in other countries, and outcomes have slightly improved since 2023. PISA 2022 data shows progress in mathematics and science, although Türkiye remains below the OECD average. Adult learners tend to perform better than young VET graduates, especially in digital and language proficiency, but many still lack essential skills, limiting their access to more innovative or in-demand sectors of the economy.

To modernise VET, the Ministry of National Education Strategic Plan (2024–2028) includes reforms such as overhauling teacher training, updating curricula, and introducing digital learning materials. A key focus is on practical skills and real-world learning. Industry partnerships are being strengthened through initiatives like modernised workshops and the placement of Vocational and Technical Anatolian High Schools in organised industrial zones. Enterprises are required by law to offer internships and training, and many students gain employment in the companies where they trained.

Career guidance is another area of strength. Tools like the Profile-Based Counselling System offer tailored support to jobseekers and students, helping them make informed decisions. However, employers still report gaps in occupation-specific knowledge and work experience, especially among young graduates. Addressing this mismatch remains a priority.

The 12th Development Plan (2024–2028) introduces additional measures to expand lifelong learning and standardise training quality through an accreditation system. It also aims to increase public awareness and encourage participation, particularly among the long-term unemployed. While green skills are increasingly incorporated into the curriculum, the development of digital skills continues to lag behind. Recent improvements in youth and adult digital competence are promising, but infrastructure and training gaps persist.

In 2024, Türkiye’s VET system delivers strong results for youth and adults, with above-average employability and growing links to industry. While foundational skills are improving, digital competence remains a challenge. Continued efforts to modernise teacher training, promote hands-on learning, and expand lifelong learning opportunities will be key to preparing learners for a rapidly changing labour market.

System organisation

System organisation is the area of monitoring that captures performance across various domains of management and administration. It examines whether practitioners and leaders have access to data and evidence to support informed decision-making, the level of stakeholder involvement in VET governance, the quality and capacity of staff in leadership positions, and the degree of internationalisation. Additionally, monitoring the allocation of human and financial resources to the VET system helps assess whether these resources effectively support teaching, training, and learning.

System organisation: management and resourcing

Türkiye performs well in most areas of VET system management and organisation, particularly in data availability and quality assurance. National data on student and teacher numbers, school performance, and institutional trends are published regularly by the Ministry of National Education, making key information publicly accessible. In 2024, Türkiye continues to outperform the international average in this area. However, challenges remain in using the available data systematically to inform policy and improve learning outcomes. This is why the Strategic Plan for 2024–2028 prioritises better use of evidence, particularly in monitoring lifelong learning programmes and improving the delivery of vocational and technical education.

Collaboration with external stakeholders – including private enterprises, NGOs, and municipalities – is supported through formal mechanisms but still needs to be deepened. Stakeholder consultation practices have weakened, especially in adult learning, contributing to a lower score in this area compared to 2023. Plans for the coming period aim to strengthen cooperation frameworks and promote shared responsibility in VET development. Quality assurance remains a strength. School-based evaluation practices improved in 2024, with wider use of internal and external reviews, performance tracking, and feedback mechanisms. Communication with families has also increased.

Türkiye also prioritises professional capacity in its VET system. School administrators and teachers are generally well qualified and have access to in-service training. In 2024, the country continues to perform above average in this area, and new initiatives are under way to further strengthen continuous professional development. The internationalisation of VET remains a priority, with student mobility supported through Erasmus+, INTERVET WB, and other international programmes. The number of schools with international status is growing, and Türkiye aims to expand global cooperation in vocational education in the years ahead.

Financial constraints remain a challenge, especially in adult education, and the share of education spending allocated to VET has decreased slightly. Still, the capacity to provide and maintain infrastructure and training materials is strong. Most learners have access to necessary resources, and investments are ongoing to upgrade workshops and build eco-friendly, disaster-resilient facilities. Despite tight budgets, learning materials remain freely available and are centrally managed to ensure quality and consistency.

In 2024, Türkiye continues to show strong performance in system organisation, particularly in the areas of data management, quality assurance, and professional capacity. However, more effective use of evidence, stronger stakeholder engagement, and improved financing models will be essential to maintaining momentum. Planned investments in infrastructure and professional development, alongside expanding international partnerships, are expected to help strengthen VET provision and responsiveness in the coming years.

Promoting access and participation in opportunities for lifelong learning

Supporting quality and relevance of lifelong learning

Index of system performance

International comparability of performance results

In addition to messages about system performance, the Torino Process monitoring delivers information about the international comparability of results of each country, the extent to which these results may be susceptible to bias, and how self-critical a country is when it reports about its policy and system performance for external monitoring purposes. This is possible because the monitoring methodology foresees keeping accurate records about the availability, origin and type of evidence used to calculate the monitoring results for each country, including Türkiye.

In the 2023 Torino Process monitoring, Türkiye stands out for having some of the most internationally comparable data, thanks to its participation in global data initiatives like OECD's Education at a Glance. While some areas still lack evidence, Türkiye is better equipped with internationally comparable data than many other countries. Additionally, nearly half of Türkiye’s results are based on measurable data, though many findings still rely on self-assessment. As a result, Türkiye tends to view its VET system’s performance in a more positive light than some other countries.