AÇEV - Mother Child Education Foundation

The Mother Child Education Foundation (ACEV) organized the “7 is Too Late” campaign in order to create awareness about the importance of early childhood education (0-6 yrs of age), to generate support for the issue from all levels of society and to enable all children in Turkey to benefit from preschool education services through bringing about the necessary policy changes. The campaign resulted in an increase in preschool enrollment from %16 (400.000 children) in 2005 to %39 (1.3 M children) in 2010 for 4-6 year olds in Turkey.

Rationale and Objectives Media&Communication Activities Events Research Studies&Publications Results 7 is too late web site (www.7cokgec.org)

Rationale and Objectives

After a decade of extensive experience in the field of ECD, ACEV decided that it would need to take bold new measures in the area of advocacy to fulfill its mission. To bring about the necessary legal, policy and awareness level changes strategic mass communications and lobbying activities were deemed a necessary next step.

While the scientific world has clearly proven the importance of early childhood education and educational policies around the world have been shaped by these findings, preschool provision and enrollment rates in Turkey have remained dramatically lower than developed countries and even lower than other countries within similar economic conditions. For years the preschool enrollment for 4-6 year olds has hovered in the 15-20% range and currently there are approximately 8,000,000 children in the 0-6 age group. Moreover, the children who are enrolled in preschools do not come from the high risk low SES groups who would especially benefit from early education.

Since the evidence linking early education with societal and economic development is strong, EU member states are taking measures to start schooling at age three, while the age at which children in Turkey start school remains 7 years old. As a result, these children begin primary school without any preparation and start life already behind their peers in more developed countries.

Thus, ACEV believes that it is imperative that Turkey takes the bold step to lower the official age at which children need to start school and to make at least 1 year of preschool universally available. With the “7 is too late” campaign ACEV continues efforts to generate widespread demand for preschool and remains committed to lobbying for at least one year of mandatory preschool.

The preschool education enrollment rates in Turkey for the 4-to-6 age group is 39 percent. This percentage is very low compared to developed countries.
Children who receive early childhood education enjoy higher academic achievement and continue to go to school longer.
There is a return rate of 7 Turkish Liras for every 1 Turkish Lira invested in early childhood education.

Before the ACEV campaign, only 16% of the children in the 4-6 age group were attending preschool. Since the campaign, the rate of preschool enrollment in the same age group has increased by 144% to a total of 39% in the 2009 academic year.

Partners

To enhance this campaigns effectiveness and sustainability, ACEV partnered with the six NGOs listed below throughout this campaign. This was the first time that seven large non-governmental organizations in Turkey came together to draw public attention to problems concerning preschool education and raise awareness on the issue.

Mother Child Education Foundation (AÇEV)
Association for the Support of Contemporary Living (ÇYDD)
Education Reform Initiative (ERG)
Foundation to Support Women's Work (KEDV)
The Education Foundation of Turkey (TEV)
Education Volunteers Foundation of Turkey (TEGV)
The Vehbi Koc Foundation (VKV)

Campaign Activities

Via the media, ensuring the public focuses on the issue and keeping problems related to early childhood education on the public agenda. Creating knowledge through symposia and new research studies, Organizing meetings and panels so that the platform formed together with power partners reaches a higher level of participation. Raising public awareness through activities such as children's festivals, sporting events. Meeting with decision makers and opinion leaders at specific intervals to work on radical suggestions to be made for changing education policy.

Research Studies and Reports

The Early Childhood Education Awareness Study was conducted in 2005- prior to launching of the “7 is Too Late” Campaign and in 2007- the second year of the campaign, to determine the public’s level of awareness concerning early childhood education, people’s attitudes/actions in relation to this issue and the effects of the campaign related to these variables. Findings of the impact study showed that the campaign had boosted awareness concerning the importance of early childhood education, and parents acknowledged that 7 was too late to begin to school. In addition, the study also revealed that the public now accepted that preschool education boosts school success and that its provision by an institution was significant. The majority of the respondents noted that preschool education was the responsibility of the state and that they would send their children to a preschool if it were possible.

The Mother Child Education Program (MOCEP) Follow-up Study and the Report on the Cost-Benefit Analysis of Preschool Education in Turkey, both prepared by ACEV and various academicians, were published and used to publicize the campaign.

In addition, in efforts to support the campaign, a committee formed by the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) on preschool education made the “The Right Start: A Report on Preschool Education in Turkey” public on May 1, 2005.

Communication Activities

The “7 is Too Late Campaign” was made public on March 2, 2005 in Istanbul, at a press conference held with the participation of all partners. Representatives of the seven collaborating non-governmental organizations were present at the meeting. The press conference was attended by 38 members of the press from 27 media outlets; face-to-face interviews were held with numerous columnists and journalists after the conference, and the campaign was covered widely in the media.

While 16 percent of the children in the 4-to-6 age group had been benefiting from preschool education at the onset of the campaign, a 68 percent increase has occurred to date and the rate of school enrolment has risen to 27 percent for this age group by the end of the 2007 school year. This positive development is seen as the outcome of ACEV’s efforts, increased parent awareness and increased concrete measures by the state.

Radio and TV Programs: Following the press conference, as of March 3, 2005, the broadcasting of ads and TV and radio spots about the campaign began with the support of media organizations and were repeatedly featured in various media platforms for two months. Television spots were adapted to cinematic viewing and screened in various theatres across the nation. The radio station Açık Radyo featured a special weekly segment on the campaign for 8 weeks. Plus, a regular portion of a popular women’s program was allocated to the campaign and its related issues for 17 weeks. Posters and outdoor ads geared to raise public awareness on the importance of early childhood education were also prepared and exhibited in across the country.

In March 2007, ACEV launched the second phase of the campaign and various activities were undertaken to remind the public of the campaign’s key messages and to continue to put pressure on policy makers. To this end TV spots and media ads were prepared which explained why early childhood education was important and which demanded widespread preschool education. Half-minute TV and radio spots were aired repeatedly and ads in newspapers and magazines were published over and over again thanks to the overwhelming support provided by media outlets. The spots prepared during the second phase of the campaign were also adapted to cinematic viewing and shown in theaters.

Posters were prepared and used on billboards and public buses in various provinces, and in the metro in Istanbul. Fliers and posters were also distributed at appropriate venues. In addition, a CD that explains the importance of preschool education was prepared and sent to Governor’s Offices and National Education Province Directorates to be shown during meetings held with teachers and parents.

Early Childhood Education for Social and Economic Development Conference

A conference was held on 24 February 2006 to inform the business world, public authorities, opinion leaders and media authorities of the positive impact of early childhood education on social and economic development. Presentations by expert speakers from Turkey and abroad drew attention to the issue and offered invaluable insights. Rania Al Abdullah, the Queen of Jordan was the guest of honor at the conference while leading academicians in this field such as Dr. Fraser Mustard of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and Prof. Jacques van der Gaag of Amsterdam University and important policy shapers such as Art Rolnick from the United States Federal Reserve, and Mary Young from the World Bank came to Turkey as conference speakers. Other panelists also included community leaders from a variety of sectors in Turkey who have also demonstrated their committment to early education and development.

Animated Short Film

In efforts to support the “7 is Too Late” Campaign, students from the Terakki Foundation Primary School, and a group of students from state primary schools prepared an animated short film on the campaign and early childhood education. It was screened for the first time during the conference and was commended by both participants and the press.

Parenting Project

A project was undertaken in collaboration with Digiturk, a satellite TV provider in Turkey, during the course of which support was provided in the form of films with messages for parents and Parenting Seminars were conducted in ten provinces (Trabzon, Samsun, Gaziantep, Adana, Mersin, Antalya, Aydın, Izmir, Balıkesir, and Bursa) during the month of June. These seminars were free of charge and were attended by 903 people.

Let’s Play With Colors

“Let’s Play With Colors” is a project aimed at mothers and children taking part in ACEV’s Mother Child Education and Preschool Parent Child Education Programs. Sponsored by Joker Maxi Toys and led by artist Günseli Kato, the first “Let’s Play With Colors” workshop was held at the foundation’s head office in May. With Kato’s guidance, the children and their mothers spent five hours making pictures on which the artist based canvases of her own. Images selected from these paintings, which were also exhibited at Metro City during June, became the artwork for ACEV’s New Year’s cards which are produced and sold every year.

Free Preschool Breakfast Program

As part of the “7 Is Too Late” campaign, ACEV also launched a Nutrition Project that was carried out in ten provinces during the 2005-2006 academic year. During the 2006-2007 academic year, upon the request of the Ministry of Education,, the scope of this project was broadened to include a total of 21 provinces (Adıyaman, Ağrı, Batman, Bingöl, Bitlis, Çorum, Diyarbakır, Erzurum, Giresun, Hakkari, Kahramanmaraş, Kars, Malatya, Mardin, Muş, Ordu, Samsun, Sivas, Şanlıurfa, Şırnak, Tokat, and Van). As part of this project, breakfast food (milk, hazelnuts, packaged cakes) was provided to 45,000 children at 1,645 schools. Sponsors who donated money to the project were Fiba Holding, Sabancı Vakfı, and Mudo while Danone, Tetra Pak, and Fındık Tanıtım Grubu supplied goods.

7 is too late! website (www.7cokgec.org)

During the first phase of the campaign, various questions and suggestions were received from parents and educators. In order to address these questions and to provide families, educators and policy makers with information regarding what they could do as a key stakeholder in this issue, the campaign website was launched. But beyond explaining the campaign, the site was designed as an information-resource center and thus includes very specific advice and information for parents and teachers. Additionally more academic research and articles are featured for those who are seeking reliable and comprehensive resources. The interactive child development guide is especially useful and designed to facilitate access to critical topics such as developmental areas and what parents can do to support these areas. The website was planned to become a distance learning model in the long term, and is a valuable resource for people with Internet access. An “experts section” was recently added to the website in collaboration with a group of expert pediatricians, dieticians, dentists, and psychological counselors, where articles on various topics are featured at specific intervals.

In the Expert Views section, Prof. Dr. Zeynep Karakas from the Pediatrics Department of Istanbul University’s Capa Medical School writes for the Mother-Child Health Section; Dieticians Dilara Kocak, Nur Gizem Tutar and Serkan Tutar for the Healthy Eating Habits Section; experts from Nisan Psychological Counseling Center for the Development, Learning and Effective Communication Section; and Children, Adolescents and Family Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Yanki Yazgan for the Stumbling Through Growing Up Section; Dentist Nilufer Bora also occasionally contributes with articles on child dental health.

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Mother Child Education Foundation (AÇEV)
Büyükdere Cad. Stad Han. No:85 Kat:2 34387 Mecidiyeköy - Istanbul - TURKEY
Phone : (0212) 213 4220 / 213 4639 Fax : (0212) 213 3660 E-mail : acev@acev.org