Economic hardship, transportation problems, gaps in learning and bullying are making it harder for some children in Turkey to attend school regularly and stay engaged with their education, according to two studies by Save the Children Türkiye.
Children aged 14 to 17 face a particularly high risk of disengaging from school in the earthquake-hit provinces of Hatay and Adıyaman, where researchers identified school expenses, transportation costs, seasonal agricultural work and social exclusion as among the factors affecting attendance.
A separate study at four public schools in Istanbul found that bullying, discrimination and weak feelings of belonging can also undermine children’s connection to school, suggesting that barriers to education extend beyond enrollment and physical access.
The findings come as Turkey begins the 2026-2027 school year and more than three years after earthquakes on February 6, 2023, devastated large parts of the country’s southeast.
The study in Hatay and Adıyaman examined children who were already out of school or considered at risk of dropping out as efforts to restore education services following the earthquakes continued.
Researchers found that financial pressure could combine with learning difficulties and transportation problems, particularly for older children who may also be expected to contribute to household income. Increased absenteeism can then deepen learning gaps and further reduce students’ motivation and confidence, according to the study.
The Istanbul study conducted in public schools in the Sultanbeyli and Avcılar districts focused on whether children experienced schools as safe and inclusive environments.
It found that students’ sense of safety depended not only on physical conditions but also on relationships with classmates, teachers and other adults. Bullying and discrimination were among the problems that could weaken students’ sense of belonging.
The study also pointed to the role of teachers and school support systems in identifying problems early and responding to bullying, exclusion and other difficulties.
Yeşim Hancı Kaya, an education and psychosocial support specialist at Save the Children Türkiye, said children generally do not become disengaged from education because of a single problem.
Economic difficulties, transportation barriers, learning gaps, psychosocial problems and bullying can reinforce one another over time, increasing the risk that a child becomes disconnected from school, Kaya said.
Save the Children Türkiye called for closer coordination among education, social services and child protection bodies as well as measures to help families struggling with transportation and school-related expenses.
The organization also recommended stronger school-wide responses to bullying, support addressing learning and psychosocial difficulties together and greater involvement of children in decisions affecting school life.
As part of a separate project in 10 Istanbul schools, Save the Children Türkiye has established student committees that identify physical and social problems at their schools and propose possible responses. Peer bullying was among the issues students raised.
The two studies were conducted in specific communities in Istanbul, Hatay and Adıyaman and are not nationally representative of all children in Turkey.
