You are here:

Higher education in Turkey: Subsidizing the rich or the poor?
ARTICLE

, Department of Economics, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Turkey ; , Department of Economics, Bilkent University, Turkey

Economics of Education Review Volume 35, Number 1, ISSN 0272-7757 Publisher: Elsevier Ltd

Abstract

We investigate how the benefits of publicly financed higher education in Turkey are distributed among students with different socioeconomic backgrounds. We use a dataset from a nationally representative sample of university entrance exam takers together with data on government subsidies to public universities. We compare the characteristics of students who succeed in the exam to those who do not and those who enter public universities to those who go to private ones. Our econometric analyses based on a three-stage selection model reveal that students from wealthier and more educated families are more likely to be successful at university entrance. Unlike the findings in other countries, students who enroll in private universities come from higher income and more educated families. Among those who enter public universities, students from higher income and better educated families are more likely to go to universities that receive larger subsidies from the government.

Citation

Caner, A. & Okten, C. (2013). Higher education in Turkey: Subsidizing the rich or the poor?. Economics of Education Review, 35(1), 75-92. Elsevier Ltd. Retrieved September 21, 2023 from .

This record was imported from Economics of Education Review on March 1, 2019. Economics of Education Review is a publication of Elsevier.

Full text is availabe on Science Direct: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2013.03.007

Keywords

References

View References & Citations Map
  1. Antoninis, M., & Tsakloglou, P. (2001). Who benefits from public education in Greece? Evidence and policy implications. Education Economics, 9(2), pp. 197-222.
  2. Atkinson, A., & Stiglitz, J. (1980). Lectures on public economics. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill.
  3. Barbaro, S. (2005). Equity and efficiency considerations of public higher education. Lecture notes in economics and mathematical systems. Equity and efficiency considerations of public higher education. Lecture notes in economics and mathematical systems, Vol. 557 Berlin Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.
  4. Behrman, J. (1999). Labor markets in developing countries. Handbook of labor economics Amsterdam: North-Holland.
  5. Caner, A., & Okten, C. (2010). Risk and career choice: Evidence from Turkey. Economics of Education Review, 29, pp. 1060-1075.
  6. Crean, J.F. (). The income redistributive effects of public spending on higher education. Journal of Human Resources, 10(1), pp. 116-123.
  7. Dow, W.H., & Norton, E.C. (2003). Choosing between and interpreting the Heckit and two-part models for corner solutions. Health Services & Outcomes Research Methodology, 4, pp. 5-18.
  8. Ebenstein, A. (). The “Missing Girls” of China and the unintended consequences of the one child policy. Journal of Human Resources, 45(1), pp. 87-115.
  9. Fernandez, R., & Rogerson, R. (1995). On the political economy of education subsidies. Review of Economic Studies, 62, pp. 249-262.
  10. Ferreira, F. H. G., Gignoux, J., & Aran, M. (2010). Measuring inequality of opportunity with imperfect data: The case of Turkey. Policy Research Working Paper 5204, February. The World Bank.
  11. Fields, G.S. (1975). Higher education and income distribution in a less developed country. Oxford Economic Papers, New Series, 27(2), pp. 245-259.
  12. Friedman, M. (1962). Capitalism and freedom. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
  13. Hansen, W.L., & Weisbrod, B.A. (). The distribution of costs and direct benefits of public higher education: The case of California. The Journal of Human Resources, 4(2), pp. 176-191.
  14. James, E., & Benjamin, G. (). Educational distribution and income redistribution through education in Japan. Journal of Human Resources, 22(4), pp. 469-489.
  15. Lemelin, C. (1992). Short-term redistributive effects of public financing of university education in Quebec. Canadian Public Policy – Analyse de Politiques, 18(2), pp. 176-188.
  16. Leung, S.F., & Yu, S. (1996). On the choice between sample selection and two-part models. Journal of Econometrics, 72, pp. 197-229.
  17. Liu, J.-T., Chou, S.-Y., & Liu, J.-L. (2006). Asymmetries in progression in higher education in Taiwan: Parental education and income effects. Economics of Education Review, 25, pp. 647-658.
  18. Pechman, J.A. (1970). The distributional effects of public higher education in California. The Journal of Human Resources, 5, pp. 361-370.
  19. Psacharopoulos, G., Tan, J.-P., & Jimenez, E. (1986). Financing education in developing countries: An exploration of policy options. Washington, DC: World Bank.
  20. Roemer, J.E. (1998). Equality of opportunity. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
  21. Rosenzweig, M., & Schultz, T.P. (1982). Market opportunities, genetic endowments and intrafamily resource distribution: Child survival in rural India. American Economic Review, 72(4), pp. 808-815.
  22. Rozada, M.G., & Menendez, A. (2002). Public university in Argentina: Subsidizing the rich?. Economics of Education Review, 21, pp. 341-351.
  23. Taipei Times. (2000). Ministry sets stage for flexible tuition. January 5 (p. 4). http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2000/01/05/0000018358. Accessed 13.02.13.
  24. Tansel, A. (2002). Determinants of school attainment of boys and girls in Turkey: Individual, household and community factors. Economics of Education Review, 21, pp. 455-470.
  25. Tansel, A., & Bircan, F. (2005, May). Effect of private tutoring on university entrance examination performance in Turkey. IZA Discussion Paper No. 1609.
  26. Tansel, A., & Bircan, F. (2006). Demand for education in Turkey: A Tobit analysis of private tutoring expenditures. Economics of Education Review, 25, pp. 303-313.
  27. Tuyluoglu, S., & Albayrak, A.S. (2010). Hayat Pahalılığı ve Türkiye’de Illerin Hayat Pahalılığı Sıralamasını Belirleyen En Önemli Faktörlerin Ridge Regresyon Analiziyle Incelenmesi. The Journal of Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, 15(2), pp. 63-91.

These references have been extracted automatically and may have some errors. Signed in users can suggest corrections to these mistakes.

Suggest Corrections to References