Investigation of private educational institutions in Turkey in the context of education, administration, relationships, and career opportunities

The study aims to examine the opinions of Turkish and foreign teachers working in private schools on the administration, education, relations, and career development opportunities. A convergent mixed method design and parallel data collection was used in the research. The quantitative section, designed with a survey model, targets teachers working in private schools in the academic year 2024-2025 within the five districts of Antalya with the highest number of teachers in private schools, including Muratpaşa, Konyaaltı, Kepez, Alanya, and Manavgat. This section collected data from 378 out of a total of 5,603 teachers in these districts. The quantitative data of the study was collected with a five-point Likert-type scale developed by the researcher. The first section of the scale included demographic information and the second included questions about teachers' opinions on school management and leadership, school culture, relationship among colleagues, teaching processes, professional development opportunities, relationships with students and parents, extracurricular activities, and career opportunities in private schools. The qualitative section, designed as a case study, included 30 teachers working in private schools within the same districts of the quantitative section. For qualitative data collection, a semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher was utilized. In analyzing the quantitative data, percentage, frequency, mean, standard deviation, and independent samples t-test were used. When parametric test assumptions were not met, non-parametric tests, such as the Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test, were applied. For the qualitative data analysis descriptive and content analysis methods were used. The research revealed that private school teachers are least satisfied with management and leadership. Despite positives like a fair structure, effective evaluations, and quick decisions, issues such as poor planning, resource mismanagement, coordination gaps, high turnover, injustices, and communication problems emerge. Career opportunities are another concern. While private schools offer safety, professional status, and a supportive culture, drawbacks include job conditions and declining professional recognition. Professional development efforts lack sustainability and fail to meet individual needs. School culture is largely supportive but vary with leadership, and teacher appreciation is lacking. Education faces challenges despite curriculum improvements, resource support, and diverse methods, as test-focused, rote learning and assessment reliability issues persist. Extracurricular activities have social benefits but are often insufficient. Student and parent relationships are mostly positive, yet teacher disrespect, blurred boundaries, and overprotective parenting are concerns. Teachers are most satisfied with colleague relationships, which, despite occasional competition, are marked by sincerity and collaboration.