School year starts for 17 million students across Turkey

ISTANBUL – Anadolu Agency

With the start of the school year, parents hit the shops to complete their children’s preparations. AA photo

More than 16 million students are starting the new school year Sept. 15 across Turkey until Jan. 26, 2015, when the mid-term break begins.

As part of the 2014-2015 academic year, 1.6 million children will attend preschool, while the total number of students who will start primary school is expected to be 5.6 million. Another 5.9 million will begin secondary school, while high schools will see 4.6 million students.

More than 873,000 teachers will also begin the school year, with a new cadre of 40,000 new teachers being appointed.

The semester break will take place between Jan. 26, 2015 and Feb. 6, 2015. The second term will start as of Feb. 9, 2015 and will end on June 12, 2015.

Those entering primary or preschool education for the first time, and fifth graders who will have more than one teacher began the academic year on Sept. 8, a week before the rest of the students, in order to better adjust. The Education Ministry first initiated this practice in 2006.