Millions of students set to return as Türkiye to open new school year

ISTANBUL

Nearly 20 million students and more than 1 million teachers in Türkiye will return to classrooms on Sept. 8 to kick off the new academic year, with the first nationwide lesson dedicated to the theme of protecting the forests.

Adaptation programs were held between Sept. 1 and 5 for preschoolers and first graders.

Starting Sept. 8, school bells across all grades will ring again after a three-month summer break.

During the first week, schools will conduct awareness sessions and activities under the theme “protecting the green homeland against forest fires,” after a summer in which Türkiye was gripped by massive wildfires, some lasting for days and forcing the evacuation of thousands of people.

Throughout the year, initiatives will focus on instilling a love of nature, raising awareness of wildfire risks and promoting activities such as tree planting and forest cleanups.

In line with a protocol signed between the education and forestry ministries, schools on the opening day will screen a short film titled “A Sapling for Every Child” and distribute saplings to all primary school students.

The first midterm break will be held between Nov. 10 and 14.As Nov. 10, the death anniversary of the country’s founding leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, coincides with the holiday, schools will host commemorative events — including academic panels, conferences, exhibitions, competitions and theater performances — the week prior, with participation from students, teachers, administrators and parents.

The first semester will end on Jan. 16, 2026, followed by the winter holiday from Jan. 19 to 30. The second semester will begin on Feb. 2 and conclude on June 26.

In Istanbul, Türkiye’s largest city with more than 3 million primary, middle and high school students, classes on the first day will begin at 10 a.m. —one hour later than usual — in an effort to ease traffic congestion.

Ahead of the new term, Education Minister Yusuf Tekin confirmed in a media interview that the government is reassessing the country’s 12-year compulsory education system amid mounting public debate and widespread calls for reform.

“The 12-year compulsory education should be debated. Eight years of uninterrupted education is undemocratic. A public consensus has largely formed in favor of reducing the length of compulsory schooling, and we plan to revise it,” Tekin told the state-run Anadolu Agency.