Comparison of Turkish and Greek Education Systems in Cyprus According to Teacher Opinions from the Perspective of "Criteria for Promotion to Education Supervisor Position"
Authors: KARASEL AYDA Nedime , VAİZ Osman 
Published: October 2020

In this study, the purpose is to determine the opinions of Cypriot Turkish section and Cypriot Greek section teachers on “promotion criteria used in promotions to supervisor position”. Depending on the objective of the study, the opinions
of teachers in both sections were examined comparatively. On the basis of the literature of the study, supervision and inspection concepts as well as the criteria for promotion to supervisor position of both sections are explained.
The study employed qualitative approach as method and semi-structured interview technique was used. The teachers were asked three open-ended interview questions developed by the researchers whose final shape was given by experts
with the purpose of determining their opinions on “criteria for promotion to supervisor position”. Before the questions were asked to the interviewees, pilot application was made on a small group. The sample of the study consisted
of 10 classroom teachers working at 5 elementary schools under Ministry of National Education of Northern Cyprus in 2019-2020 academic year and 10 classroom teachers working at 5 elementary schools under Ministry of National Education
of Southern Cyprus Greek Administration in 2019-2020 academic year. The teachers were reached by the researchers in person and they were first asked to write their opinions on paper; then face-to-face interviews were held and it
was recorded in order to prevent data loss. Interviews were conducted in two hour periods outside working hours. Teachers in Northern Cyprus were reached from their schools and teachers in Southern Cyprus were reached by arranging
meetings in the buffer zone. Within the study, teachers were asked questions such as “In general what do you think about the applicability of criteria for promotion to supervisor position in the “supervision law” of your ministry
of education? Do you think that these criteria are sufficient? Why? What do you think about the applicability of criteria for promotion to supervisor position provided in the law? What can you say about current supervisors considering
the criteria for being selected?” Findings obtained in the study showed that, in the eyes of teachers, criteria did not progress depending on the law, and that the inapplicable criteria which are written in law created discomfort
for the teachers in both societies. Again, teachers in both societies are generally satisfied with the criteria system but they also emphasised that technology usage and graduate education should be more emphasised. They mentioned
the inadequacy of people who became supervisor due to the problems in application. In addition, teachers in TRNC stated that collecting points with documents, which is a method mentioned in criteria for supervisor position, was
partially accurate; but that there were problems in the quality and delivery of collected documents; that the scores given to documents did not observe the principle of equity in terms of scoring ratios, for which reason some documents
did not make any contribution in professional terms for acting as supervisor and teacher. In conclusion, it is found out that some changes should be made in criteria system based on the findings of this study, that in the collected
documents certain qualifications and features that will contribute to education should be sought, and that fairness should be ensured in scoring stage of the documents. In the end of the study, it can be said that the offices responsible
for supervision of education system in both societies should make some changes in the system upon revising “criteria for supervisor position”. In addition, it can be recommended that in the people who will be assigned as supervisor
a higher level of education should be sought and “specialisation in the field” should be made compulsory among the criteria.