Internal migration movements in Turkey and effect of migration on education: A case study

Waves of migration to big cities starting in 1950's in Turkey have caused to big problems in these cities. Most prominant problems are that children's, who have to migrate in their school time and their families' problems. Besides problems of teachers and school managements working in intensive migration areas are getting increasing. In the country it has seemed that there is an intense migration from under-developed regions to centres of tourism, industry and trade. Because in these areas there are more working opportunities. One of the intensive migration cities is Antalya. The purpose of this study is to identfy the problems of children, migrated to Antalya, and their families and also problems of teachers and school management working with them. This study was a qualitative study with a holistic multi-case. Accordingly study was taken place at İsmail Hakkı Kaya Primary School, Demirgül Primary School, Baraj Primary School, Şehit Kahraman Çelikbaş Primary School and 80. Yıl Cumhuriyet Primary School. The study population consisted of 5 headmasters, 23 teachers (4th grade), 487 students (4th grade) and their families in Kepez, Antalya. The study group of the research was composed of 5 headmasters, 23 teachers (4th grade), 8 students (4th grade) and 5 student's parents that met this criteria, selected on a voluntary basis. In this study individual interview, focus group interview and document analysis were used as a way of data collection. Semi-structred individual interview depending on open-ended questions and forms of focus group interview were used as the tools of data collection and drawings of students about migration were used for the document analysis. Data were studied with content analysis considering characteristics of data collection tools. Indications and comments were done depending on this data analysis. Based on the results of the study suggestions were put forward. According to some results of principıls views Antalya was an intensive migration area and some political problems reflect to school; so fight, violance, swear burglary etc. were seen at schools. Success of migrant students was low. Migrant students had some problems because of their ethnich origin and racial discrimination. Most of the parents didn't know Turkish and so they had communication problems. Teachers didn't want to study in these schools because of security issue. So there can be a decline in their performance. It was seen that most of the principıls thought "Thought of discrimination should be erased among people. According to some results of teacher's thought; because of being an intensive migration area, teachers worked in much more difficult conditions than the other parts of Antalya. In these regions schools didn't have enough materials. Teachers had communication problems with migrant families. Parents didn't care about their children and school. According to teachers academical success of school was low. Students had adaptation problems and so they became hostile and shy. Migrant families had financial problems so they made their children work in early ages. So students could not come to school regularly and could not be successful. Students did not know Turkish very well and so they had language problems. Because of these problems teachers did not enjoy their jobs and they wanted to go to other schools. According to teachers "Migrant families should be educated. According to student's results; student missed their old friends and teachers. Migrant students could not take part in social activities at school. When they come to school first, their academical success declined. Among their friends they were subject to negative behaviours like swear, fight etc. Other students had made fun of them and isolated them. So they felt themselves alone. They had much more problems in adaptation to school than other students. They thought working to help their families because of the financial problems. According to parents' results there were some addicted groups and students around the school. In the migration areas; opportunities of education was not sufficiant students witnessed to fight, violance, swear etc. at school. Parents thought that their children had adaptation problems and they felt themselves alone. It was seen that families migrated to find job and and work. They wanted their children to get a good job. They desired that "Social activities should be done for students". Key words: migration, migration and education, migrant students.