Financing for equity in primary and secondary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to schools
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
Türkiye’s education system operates under a centralised structure, with the Ministry of National Education responsible for major planning and decision-making for compulsory education. The government covers a broad spectrum of expenses, including the operational costs of public schools, public school teachers’ salaries, and the provision of free textbooks for students. Schools receive direct financial support for maintenance, utilities, and administrative costs. Teacher training and professional development programmes are also funded to improve the quality of education.
With most education funding comes from the central government, smaller shares come from local governments, private actors, and households. Education budget represents 3.76 % of GDP and 15.33 % of the national budget in 2026. Although most education costs are publicly covered, household contributions are relatively high.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Based on Annexe I to the Public Financial Management and Control Law No. 5018, the Ministry of National Education in Türkiye (MoNE) is one of the general budget administrations. It manages a large centralised budget that is distributed to provincial and district education directorates, also to schools and the other education institutions across 81 provinces and 922 districts.
There is no equity-oriented allocation formula currently in place in Türkiye, however, the MoNE allocates budgets to provincial and district directorates of national education, schools and the other education institutions within the framework of the School-Based Budgeting (Okul Bazlı Bütçeleme) system. Under the supervision of local education directorates, each school submits its budget needs using two key digital platforms: MEBBİS and e-Okul. MEBBİS (Ministry of National Education Information System) is a centralized administrative management system used by the Ministry to oversee school operations, including budgeting, personnel, and resource management. e-Okul is a student information system that tracks student enrollment, attendance, academic performance, and other data essential for planning and budgeting at the school level. Based on this data, along with various factors such as the number of students and climatic conditions, which serves as reference particularly for electricity, water, and heating expenses, the Ministry of National Education calculates the budget for provincial and district directorates of national education.
2. Education resources to schools
School Development Budget
According to the MEB 2023 Education Vision Document, each school receives a development budget based on its school plan and other criteria, with “positive discrimination” applied to schools facing unfavourable conditions, as noted on page 47. By using a geographical information system, the mechanism prioritises disadvantaged schools nationwide. While the exact budget allocation formula has not been publicly disclosed, the school development model aims to promote more equitable funding and address disparities among students and schools.
10,000 Schools in Basic Education Project
Led by Turkey's Ministry of National Education, the "10,000 Schools in Basic Education Project," launched on September 16, 2021, and completed in 2022, aimed to reduce disparities among schools and promote equal educational opportunities. It focused on improving physical infrastructure and educational support in 10,000 primary and secondary schools, especially in disadvantaged areas. The budget funded resources such as lessons, first aid materials, special education supplies, interactive boards, printers, and computers. To enhance educational quality, approximately 106,244 teachers and 13,344 administrators received training on digital literacy, new assessment methods, climate change, environmental issues, and first aid, addressing the specific needs of these schools.
3. Education resources to students and families
Transportation Support
The 2014 Regulation on Access to Education through Transportation ensures that students who have difficulty commuting to school can access free transportation services. This applies to students in primary, lower secondary, and special education schools who face challenges getting to school due to distance or other barriers, supporting their right to education.
The Special Education Programme, managed by the Ministry of National Education since 2013, supports children with physical, mental, and sensory disabilities, as well as those with learning difficulties and autism spectrum disorders. It offers a range of services including inclusive education, special schools and classes, rehabilitation centers, and home and hospital education for children who cannot attend school due to health issues, ensuring all children have access to education.
While recent programs and beneficiary details are not publicly available, the Ministry of National Education continued efforts to expand support for students and families. In the 2025 MEB Budget Report, current transfers (cari transferler) are recorded at TRY 31.3 billion, up from TRY 25.9 billion in 2024, which represents a nominal increase of about 20.7%. These transfers typically cover state boarding student support, scholarships, and other current transfers to households and educational institutions.
Social and Economic Integration Project Through Vocational Education (SEUP-II)
The Social and Economic Integration Project Through Vocational Education (SEUP-II) is a vocational education–based social and economic integration programme implemented between 2020 and 2025 under the supervision of the Ministry of National Education (MoNE). The project aims to expand access to quality and inclusive vocational and technical education for Syrian children under temporary protection and children from host communities. In terms of financing, the programme is primarily funded through external resources from the EU’s Financial Assistance for Refugees in Türkiye (FRIT) and the German Development Bank (KfW). At the same time, the government contributes through co-financing arrangements by covering teacher salaries, existing school infrastructure, administrative costs, and institutional capacity for project planning and management from the national budget. The project supported at least 50 vocational and technical high schools in 15 pilot provinces with high refugee populations through infrastructure renovation and equipment provision. It also provided students with transportation, learning materials, meals, and vocational training, and promoted post-graduation employment placement, targeting an equal share of Syrian and Turkish graduates. In addition, the project sought to increase enrolment rates by at least 25% among Syrian students and 8% among Turkish students, while implementing community-based activities such as information sessions, vocational education fairs, public service announcements, home visits, and social integration programmes.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Conditional Cash Transfer for Education (CCTE) Programme
Launched in 2003, the CCTE Programme aims to increase school enrolment and attendance among vulnerable children by providing bi-monthly cash transfers to families, conditioned on at least 80% school attendance. Implemented by the Ministry of Family and Social Services in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education, Turkish Red Crescent, and UNICEF, the programme particularly supports low-income families and refugee children.
Social and Economic Support (SED) Programme
The Social and Economic Support (SED) Programme, run by the Ministry of Family and Social Services since 2015, provides financial aid to low-income families to help keep children with their families. Since 2017, it also supports children’s participation in academic, social, cultural, and sports activities outside school. The programme covers children at various educational levels, with payments adjusted based on the child’s schooling: primary students receive 75% (6,468.05 TL), and secondary students receive 80% (6,899.25 TL) of the support amount to encourage continued education.
5. School meal programmes
In 2022, the Ministry of Education launched a lunch programme aimed at primary and secondary students living in settlements without schools, in sparsely populated or dispersed areas.
In February 2023, the Ministry of National Education began implementing a free meal programme for preschool students, providing meals five days per week. Initially, the programme targeted students who had to travel long distances to attend school and those in boarding institutions. The government aims to further extend the programmeto reach 5 million students, focusing on regions with disadvantaged communities. Students with special needs, including those with autism, learning difficulties, and mental or physical impairments also benefit the meal programme.
However, the school meal application for students receiving dual education in the transportation-based system as well as the programme for preschool students have both been suspended due to savings since the beginning of the 2024-2025 academic year.
In 2024-2025 academic year, the school meal application limited to preschools in the earthquake zone and students receiving education in the transportation-based system.
This profile was reviewed by Kuzey Yılmaz, Associate Professor in the Department of Finance and Economics at Cleveland State University; Abdurrahman Aydemir, Professor of Economics at Sabancı University; Ekber Tomul, Professor in the Department of Basic Education at Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University; and representatives of the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of National Education: Fırat Güzeldag, Head of the International Organizations Department; Süheyla Demirel Yazıcı, National Education Expert; and Seda Kuzgun, National Education Expert.
