Education for economic growth or human development? The capabilities approach and the World Bank’s Basic Education Project in Turkey

Abstract

Turkey’s recent development plans suggest that, according to state planners, development is no longer identified with, achieved through or measured by economic growth. These documents evince that Turkey has embraced what is referred to as the capability approach. What remains unclear is whether this embrace is substantive or rhetorical. This paper is designed to analyse the extent to which Turkey has operationalised the capability approach in its planning and implementation of education for development projects. I argue that sections of development plans devoted to social policies reflect several themes of the capability approach. However, analysis of an education for development project in Turkey demonstrates that the capability approach has gained limited traction in practice. Equity, inclusion, participation and critical thinking in the World Bank’s Basic Education Project are either insufficiently realised or subordinated to productivity and competition within the global market.

Keywords:

• capability approach
• Turkey
• education
• basic education
• ethics
• development
• neoliberal

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Dr David Crocker for his thoughtful comments and suggestions to improve this manuscript.