AN ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF POLITICIZATION OF EDUCATION IN TURKEY ON THE RELATIONSHIP WITH EU: CAN THE HUMAN CAPITAL BE THE CONFIDENTIAL CRITERION OF EU?

This study intends to analyse the relationship and the future of the european union (eu) and turkey and seeks to answer this question; is turkey that is demanding to become a member of the eu and identifying it as a state policy, really ready for the membership of the union? in other words, if we take an argument concerning the relationship between european union and turkey and the future of this relationship with reference to the union member states’ political / economic / cultural envisagement about turkey from a critical viewpoint highlighting interior factors rather than exterior factors, then, what could be the reason why turkey fails the membership or the primary reason retarding the membership? in this study, it is considered that the answer is hidden in turkey’s human capital asset and lack of effectiveness. although important educational and training projects were implemented to develop qualified work force in the last three centuries from ottoman times to republican period, it can be concluded that all these efforts were not enough to catch the expected level. a human capital index is developed for this study in order to compare european countries and turkey and other indexes were also used. results showed turkey’s current position with respect to eu and inspire serious policy changes to develop human capital.