Zühtü Özkardaşlar Anadolu Lisesi

Zühtü Özkardaşlar Anatolian High School is located in the center of Balıkesir/Turkey. Our school consists of 41 teachers and 703 students. We have a wide range of students including 38 refugees , 10 integrated students and 2 home-schooled students. The refugee students usually have communication problems in both their educational and social life ; so they are supported with extra Turkish classes to help their adaptation. The integrated students take supportive lessons in addition to regular classes. The home-schooled students aren’t able to come to school because of their disabilities ; so they get education at home. Although the neighbourhood of our school is quite good, our students are disadvantaged in many ways in terms of academic achievement, social background, family life and economical difficulties. The students attend our school after taking a common exam applied all over the country. The exam score needed to attend to our school is low and it has a negative effect on all their educational life. Most of the students don’t believe in themselves and they also don’t get enough support from their families who aren’t qualified enough to lead them. Most of the families have both social and economical difficulties because of unemployment ( highly-increased during pandemic) , low income and one parent working family. Nearly 10% of our students’ families are divorced or seperated. Some of our students also have to work to help their parents. As a result , the majority of our students don’t go on their education to get a higher degree ,they usually start working after graduation.