Millions of students begin 3-month summer break

ISTANBUL

The final bell has tolled across the nation’s schools, heralding an approximately three-month-long summer respite for more than 20 million students and 1.2 million teachers.

Millions of students across primary, middle and high schools received their report cards on June 14, reflecting their academic performance throughout the year.

This year, for the first time, middle school students will also be issued newly designed report cards that will include their participation in social activities alongside their academic grades.

The Education Ministry has mandated that these new report cards meticulously reflect detailed evaluations tailored to each student. Students' engagement in social activities is categorized under five domains including scientific, cultural, artistic-sportive activities and community service.

In a written statement, Education Minister Yusuf Tekin implored parents not to chastise their children over poor grades.

"A poor report card can always be improved, but the damage inflicted on our children's personalities is irreparable. A report card is merely a summary of their effort and diligence, not a definitive measure of their abilities or potential,” he said.

Emphasizing that the summer vacation presents an opportunity for both rest and the enhancement of personal and academic skills, Tekin encouraged students to explore the richness of the Turkish language through a broad spectrum of mediums, from cinema and theatre to poetry, history, magazines and newspapers.

In the forthcoming academic year, set to commence on Sept. 9, first-year students across all levels will encounter the highly debated new curriculum. This sweeping curricular overhaul, one of the most prominent issues in national discourse this year, has drawn considerable attention.

The recent implementation of a policy mandating repetition of the grade for students who fail to meet specific academic criteria has led to an increase in the number of students repeating the same grade in the subsequent year.

Additionally, starting July 1, the Ministry will offer free summer school for students from the second grade of primary school onward, focusing on sports, visual arts, music and informatics.

Alongside these summer schools, supplementary and remedial courses will be available for eighth-grade middle school and eleventh and twelfth-grade high school students, aimed at academic enrichment. No fees will be charged for students and participants attending these courses.