Turkey won’t reopen schools until September

ANKARA

Turkey has said it won’t reopen schools until September, but distance learning programs will continue until June 19 in line with the government’s gradual plan to reopen the country amid the continued COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The 2019-2020 education year for the schools under the Education Ministry has been terminated. The new school year will begin in September,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in his address after a weekly cabinet meeting late May 18. 

As part of measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, Turkey shut down the primary, secondary and high schools on March 16 and launched a distance learning program on March 23 for around 18 million students.   

It is reported that the decision to reopen schools in September was made in line with recommendations of the Science Board. The Health Ministry has announced that Turkey has taken the spread of the virus under control, but social distancing measures should strictly be implemented to avoid a new wave of the outbreak. 

Distance learning is aired through three channels provided by the state-run Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) and Education Informatics Network (EBA). The TRT-EBA TV air school lessons for the primary, secondary and high school students through separate channels, supported by the digital EBA system.

The Education Ministry announced late May 18 that the remote education programs will continue until June 19 and there will be no make-up classes during the summer. 

Education Minister Ziya Selçuk had earlier informed that students will automatically pass to the upper grade in line with their results of the first semester regardless of their average.