Over 20 mln students return to school as new semester begins

ANKARA

More than 20 million students across Türkiye returned to their classrooms today as the two-week winter break concluded, marking the beginning of the second semester of the 2023-2024 academic year.

The Education Ministry reported that 20,481,000 students and 1,178,000 teachers affiliated with the schools under the ministry had started their classes on September 11, 2023.

The new semester unfolds in 74,000 schools with 744,000 classrooms nationwide. Students had previously enjoyed a 16-day mid-year break starting on Jan. 19 after receiving their report cards from the first term.

The second semester of the 2023-2024 academic year will run until June 14, with a brief break scheduled for April 8-12. Looking ahead, the 2024-2025 academic year is set to commence on Sept. 9.

Within education, there is a growing anticipation surrounding the introduction of the new curriculum. National Education Minister Yusuf Tekin announced this month that the ministry's significant effort in revising the curriculum will soon be made public.

Emphasizing the need for a dynamic and ever-evolving educational structure, Tekin stated, "The curriculum should be a living and dynamic structure, constantly updated in light of rapidly changing global conditions and current developments."

"From its core principles to being built upon our values and constructed in the light of our reference values, we have completed the necessary groundwork for the establishment of an education system that is unique to us. Hopefully, we will share our efforts with the public very soon," Tekin added.

As Türkiye moves forward in the field of education, these initiatives highlight the country's dedication to building a robust and adaptive educational system that prepares students both for academic success and for the challenges and opportunities in the future.