The Place and Importance of French Education in Türkiye

This study aims to examine the historical development and current situation of French education in Türkiye, to reveal the main problems faced by French teachers, and to offer policy recommendations for these problems. A qualitative research approach was adopted in the study; literature review and document analysis methods were used. National and international literature, education policy documents, and related statistics on French education in Türkiye were systematically examined. French education was carried out effectively from the 18th century to the 1990s; however, due to the policies implemented afterwards, it was largely withdrawn from secondary schools. French, which has 321 million speakers worldwide, is of strategic importance in terms of Türkiye’s diplomatic, economic, and cultural relations with French-speaking countries. The main problem of French teachers in Türkiye is the lack of employment. Reviving French education in secondary education and ensuring adequate teacher employment will make significant contributions to Türkiye in many areas, especially economic, diplomatic, and cultural domains.

Cite this article as: Aslan, E. (2026). The place and importance of French education in Türkiye. HAYEF: Journal of Education, 23, 0056, doi: 10.5152/hayef.2026.26036.