Abstract:

Elementary and secondary education schools and high schools in Turkey are within the 12-year gradual (4+4+4) compulsory education process. Providing students’ benefiting from elementary and secondary education processes as the grades of compulsory education in accordance with fundamental rights and freedoms is a constitutional necessity. In this sense, especially "the right of education" is considered as an essential fundamental right and freedom. During the compulsory education process, the classes which cannot benefit from the "right of education" as objected include the children of poor and disadvantageous families. The purpose of the research was to determine the socio-economic properties of the disadvantageous families whose children were studying in compulsory education process. In the research, it was also aimed to specify the sociological variables affecting the compulsory education process of disadvantageous families. The research was carried out in 3 neighborhoods and 1 town affiliated to Erzincan provincial district in 2017. In the research, the schools experiencing serious problems for schooling of the students were regarded while determining the disadvantageous neighborhoods and town. During the research process, "The Questionnaire for Schooling of Disadvantageous Families’ Children" was used. The research was carried out using face-to-face interview method with families of 104 students in family environments. In the research, views of the directors of 4 elementary education and 3 secondary education schools in disadvantageous residential areas were also asked. According to the research results, 56% of the mothers in disadvantageous sociological classes were not even elementary education graduates. Moreover, 60% of the fathers of disadvantageous students were elementary education graduates. Majority of the disadvantageous families were deprived of social security. According to the research results, it was revealed that education, compulsory education especially with the highest level of social benefits, in disadvantageous social classes was not perceived as a basic need. Disadvantageous families were understood to be deprived of meeting their most basic needs. In accordance with the research results, it was suggested to urgently start adult training activities based upon employment of parents in disadvantageous surroundings.

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