To What Extent Do Children in Primary Schools Have a Voice in Context of the Right to Participation in Türkiye?: A Case Study

The purpose of the current research is to investigate the arrangements addressing primary school children’s right to participation in education and the level of realization of the right to participate. To this end, the research conforms to the explanatory sequential design. The quantitative phase of the research was carried out with 2172 students enrolled in 77 primary schools whereas the qualitative phase was implemented with 4 teachers and 36 students. The research data yielded from the child’s right to participation-based classroom scale and teacher and student interview forms regarding the realization of the right to participate in education developed within the scope of the research were analysed through statistical, content, and descriptive analyses. The findings highlighted certain deficiencies in terms of the arrangements on children’s right to participation in schooling and the level of their participation in decision-making processes. In CHP (class with a high level of participation) and CLP (class with a low level of participation), 13 contexts concerning the children’s participation in decision-making processes were identified. In this respect, it was determined that children’s participation in the decision-making processes was ensured in both groups on some of the issues that may concern in their lives, while it was determined that the children in both groups were not included in decision-making processes in terms of participation in environmental protection and sustainable development. Besides, it was revealed that the children in CLP were not included in seven contexts including the processes of the election of class representatives of the student council and the establishment of classroom rules.