Image of Turkey and education

We have no intention of ignoring pressing health problems, and neither can one turn a blind eye to this country’s terrible image problem abroad. Still, with a proper education policy, Turkey can achieve a mental reform, a must for transforming this society into one with a heightened awareness of its rights and responsibilities, and pave the way to a massive transformation campaign that would take this country with great speed to the level of "primary league nations" in all spheres of life.

With the Dec. 17, 2004 decision of the European leaders to open accession talks with Turkey on Oct. 3 of this year, we have entered a new era that will last until we reach our final destination of full membership in the European Union. This journey is anticipated to take 10 to 15 years. Can we complete it at an earlier date? That depends primarily on how sincere and determined we are in transforming ourselves to meet European standards in all aspects of life. This transformation necessitates a mental transformation without which the train will never reach its final destination of membership.

We have to realize that it took us 41 years from the 1963 Ankara Association Agreement to the EU leaders’ Dec. 17 decision that accession talks could start in October. It took us that long to cover this distance because we mainly dragged our feet and — as if it were not us trying to join the EU but the EU trying to join Turkey — insisted that Europe change and cope with us rather than conceding the fact that we are required to change.

We have to concentrate more on building a realistic picture of Turkey in Europe. Therefore, as we keep stressing, rather than spending millions of dollars or euros on lobbyists, Turkey must launch an ambitious and comprehensive scholarship program and start sending our children to receive an education in European countries. These children will, on the one hand, become our cultural envoys in the countries to which they go, while on the other will receive a good education and return to Turkey after few years to become a force for change here.

Can you imagine what dynamism these well-educated young Turks will provide to our country? Can you imagine what changes they will initiate in our society?

For this, of course, the administration of the country must first realize that there is such a need and what a huge potential they could unleash.