Students start their mid-semester break

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Some 1.25 million primary students received their first report cards this year. AA photo

Turkey’s 17 million preschool, elementary and high school students celebrated the start of their mid-year break Jan. 20.

However, students in the earthquake-hit southeastern province of Van will remain in school throughout the break to make up for canceled school days.

The first term of the 2011 to 2012 school year began Sept. 19 and finished Jan. 20 with 1.25 million primary students receiving their first report cards.

Education Minister Ömer Dinçer suggested to parents to not to be harsh on their children if they received bad scores on their report cards. Çelik also encouraged students, saying, “Whatever the points on your report card are, do not lose your faith to be successful.”

The second term will start Feb. 6 and the school year will finish June 8.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education is expected to begin to run its Fatih project, which foresees setting up tech smart classes, in the second term of the year. Smart boards will be used in schools in 17 cities, and nearly 12,000 touch pads will be available for students.