Turkey’s National Education Ministry has prepared a new plan for Turkish students whose studies have been interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. National Education Minister Ziya Selçuk on Tuesday announced that while the academic year will end on July 2, the ministry’s “Voluntary School” project will be on offer throughout July and August.
The National Education Ministry launched the first semester of the academic year on Aug. 31 via distance learning with online resources. Kindergarten and first-graders started to attend classes on Sept. 21, while all elementary schools and some middle-school and high school grades switched to in-person classes on Oct. 12 as well. Finally, the remaining grades began face-to-face education on Nov. 2. However, after a one-week break in mid-November, the ministry decided to continue all education online due to surging coronavirus cases in the country. During this process, online programs, public broadcaster TRT’s EBA channel and printed and digital sources were utilized.
The country resumed in-person education for rural schools and kindergartens mid-February as the second semester began. Eighth and 12th graders, preparing for high school and university entrance exams, returned to classrooms on March 1, along with preschools, special education schools and primary schools.
