1. Objective

The overall purpose of the study was to make suggestions to improve the practice in the organization and provision of education in schools affected by internal migration movements in Turkey. In light of this, the current needs assessment study was conducted to explore educational challenges related to internal migration and to determine how schools deal with migration related issues. Accordingly, K8 school inspectors were asked to share their perceptions concerning the impact of the internal migration on the curriculum and schooling experiences of children in migrant communities.

2. Theoretical background

The quality of education is affected by a number of factors stemmed from household demographic and socio-economic characteristics and circumstances in schools. For instance, adolescent attitude and behavior are associated with socio-demographic status [6]. Similarly, the link between the education levels of parents and educational outcomes is clearly stated in the literature (e.g. [1]; [12]). Also, evidence on how family income and parental education impact on children’s learning outcomes suggest that low economic status has less effect than the education of parents [1]. As regards to school related factors, issues such as quality of school infrastructure (e.g. buildings, furniture and equipment), human capital investments (adequacy of number of schools and teachers, home-school commute distance), existence of favorable and appealing learning environment [13] are considered to have significant impact on schooling outcomes of children living in migrant communities.

In order to respond effectively to the needs of immigrant students, teachers need additional skills

[7]. For example, research suggests that migrant students have lower self-esteem and life satisfaction in comparison with non-migrant students [3]. Results of research such as this underline the importance of additional skills to teach in resource poor and multicultural environments. In fact existing evidence indicates that with the teachers having certain knowledge, skills, and dispositions a quality education is still possible in schools within poor neighborhoods [4]. However in the Turkish context, a recent research finding have concluded that teachers has neither the adequate skills nor the experiences to deal with classroom diversity, exclusive from dealing with learning differences [2].

Besides selection of teachers considering their ability and willingness to teach in disadvantaged areas, various other issues including access to schools and school programs, differentiated curricula, assessment and placement, school climate, availability of support services and community involvement should be taken into consideration and addressed by educational systems ([7]; [8])

The quality of education that the children from migrant families can receive in host residencies depends on the existent local resources. Generally, both internal and external migration result in reallocation of local resources between immigrants and indigenous poor [8]. Without deliberate decision to move to a new location due to the existence of better educational opportunities, migration does not necessarily equate with better education for the

children of migrant communities [12]. What is actually the more common occurrence is that migrant children have to attend resource-poor, overcrowded inner city schools [5] which rank near or at the bottom with respect to school quality and educational achievement [10].

6. References [1] Abadzi, H., 2008. Efficient learning for the poor: new insights into literacy acquisition for children. International Review of Education 54, 581–604. [2] Akar, H., Temli, Y., Sen, D., 2008. Lessons for prospective teachers: moral dilemmas teachers encounter in school contexts. Education and Pedagogy in Balkan Countries 9, Vol. II. Egitim Akademi, Konya, pp. 867– 876. [3] Aksel, S., Gun, Z., Yılmaz Irmak, T., Celenci, B., 2007. Migration and psychological status of adolescents in Turkey. Adolescence 42 (167), 589–602. [4] Beloin, K., Peterson, M., 2000. For richer or poorer: building inclusive schools in poor urban and rural communities. International Journal of Disability, Development, and Education 47 (1), 15–24. [5] Contreras, A.R., 2002. The impact of immigration policy on education reform: implications for the New Millennium. Education and Urban Society 34 (2), 134–155. [6] Ecevit, M.C., Kasapoglu, M.A., 2005. A sociological case study on the attitudes and behavior of students in urban Turkey. Urban Education 40 (5), 550–564. [7] Goodwin, A.L., 2002. Teacher preparation and the education of immigrant children. Education and Urban Society 34 (2), 156–172. [8] Rong, X., Brown, F., 2002. Immigration and urban education in the New Millennium: the diversity and the challenges. Education and Urban Society 34 (2), 123–133. [10] Thompson, B.R., 2004. Equitable measurement of school effectiveness. Urban Education 39 (2), 200–229. [12] Verropoulou, G., Joshi, H., Wiggins, D.R., 2002. Migration, family structure and children’s well-being: a multi-level analysis of the second generation of the 1958 Birth Cohort Study. Children and Society 16, 219–231. [13] World Bank, 2005. Turkey—Education Sector Study: Sustainable Pathways to an Effective, Equitable, and Efficient Education System for Preschool through Secondary School.