Implementation of the Subject Promotion/Credit System (SP/CS) policy in Turkey (A case study)

This case study examined the implementation process of Subject Promotion/Credit System(SP/CS) Policy which was implemented between 1991 and 1995 in high schools in Turkey. The purpose of the study was to examine how the SP/CS Policy was implemented and to analyze the factors which had facilitated and/or constrained the implementation process.;A case study research design and qualitative data gathering techniques--semi-structured interviews and document analysis--were utilized to examine the implementation process of the Policy. One general high school was selected from the city of Adana for the study. Interview data were obtained from the principal, 15 teachers, 15 students and 15 parents of the selected school. One administrator from each of the three levels--national, provincial, and sub-provincial--was also selected for the interview.;The following major factors were determined to constrain the effective implementation of the SP/CS Policy in selected school: (1) Lack of financial resources, classrooms, materials, equipment, the shortage of teachers and over-crowded student population; (2) Lack of professional competence of the implementers to implement the policy; (3) Lack of knowledge about the Policy on the part of some of the teachers, and majority of students and parents; (4) Lack of sufficient time on the part of school implementers; (5) Lack of flexibility of the Policy; (6) Lack of support and committment of the teachers to implement the policy; (7) Limited participation of teachers, and lack of involvement of students and parents in decision making during the implementation process; (8) The highly centralized and hierarchical nature of the Turkish educational administrative system; (9) Unfavorable economic conditions of the country; (10) Vagueness of the policy statements during the initial years of implementation: and, (11) Low education level of parents.;All of the factors mentioned above undermined the effective implementation of the SP/CS Policy. Through the interaction of those constraining factors, the policy had no chance to be implemented successfully. There was a wide gap between the ambitious policy requirements and the school's ability to implement them under the existing inadequate conditions. Given the insufficient resources and inadequate administrative structure, it was beyond the capacity of the school to implement the policy effectively.