Educational Effects of After School Courses: A Study on School Managers and Teacher Opinions

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the achievements of the After School Courses, which have been implemented in all secondary schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education since the 2014-2015 academic year, and the problems in the implementation process. In this study, the case study method, which is one of the qualitative research methods, was adopted in order to conduct an in-depth and comprehensive examination. Data were collected from 10 teachers and 10 school administrators working in public secondary schools. The data obtained from the interviews with teachers and school administrators were transcribed and analyzed using content analysis technique. According to the results of the research, teachers and school administrators stated that the courses make an important contribution to preparing students for central exams. Yet, dropping out was cited as the biggest problem in after school courses. It was concluded that a separate course program would be more effective in terms of being successful in central exams. It is thought that the results obtained from this research will guide all stakeholders related to after school courses, especially the Ministry of National Education.