Factors Affecting Educational Aspirations of High School Students in Northern Cyprus

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  In Roundtable Session: Aspirations, Intentions, Values, and Imagination: Understanding Career and Academic Choices and Trajectories

Abstract

Parental expectations, gender, socioeconomic status, and race/ethnicity have long been studied factors explaining students’ educational aspirations in the literature. Since Cyprus has a unique political status, the purpose of the study was to explore the factors affecting educational aspirations of high-school students in Northern Cyprus. To reach this purpose, 101 interviews were conducted with high-school students, teachers, school administrators, ministry administrators and experts, and politicians in Northern Cyprus. The data were collected with semi-structured interview protocols involving 15 open-ended questions. After conducting the content analysis, four main categories affecting educational aspirations of students were determined, namely parental variables, curricular issues, ministry policies, and the political status of the island.

Authors

• Tuba Gokmenoglu, Ministry of National Education

• Ferda Ozturk Komleksiz, European University of Lefke