02.05.2026 11:10
Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin made evaluations regarding the 2026-2027 academic year. Tekin stated that new steps to increase security in schools are on the agenda, and made striking statements about the mid-term break practice. Minister Tekin indicated that the mid-term break system applied in November and March could be abolished.
Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin announced that significant changes to the education calendar are on the agenda. Accordingly, the mid-term breaks in November and April are to be removed, the academic year is to be reorganized, and the summer holiday is to be extended.
Speaking to journalists on the plane after his visit to St. Petersburg, Minister Tekin stated that the education period would not be extended in the discussed model, saying, "When we remove those mid-term breaks, our children's education life will not be extended by two weeks."
"HOLIDAY WILL BE EXTENDED"
Stating that according to the new plan, the start and end dates of the academic calendar will be changed, Tekin said, "We will push the September start a bit later and the June end a bit earlier, thus our students will have a longer holiday."
PROPOSAL FOR SPECIALLY TRAINED POLICE IN SCHOOLS
He stated that the deployment of law enforcement in schools, which came to the agenda after a series of attacks, is a temporary measure, and said, "It is not a permanent solution."
"Whatever its name is, school police or another name. If there is to be a police officer, we argue that this officer should be selected from those trained in these matters in terms of their qualifications and that a separate staff should be established," said Tekin, adding, "Let it be a team raised with their behavior, interests, and perhaps attention focused on that."
WILL THE COMPULSORY EDUCATION PERIOD BE SHORTENED?
Shortening the education period was also included in Tekin's statements to journalists. "The issue is controversial," said Minister Tekin, noting the following:
"You always hear on TV; they say 'He entered Harvard at age 15, entered Oxford.' So why can't we achieve this in Turkey? Therefore, I say that this compulsory education age should be discussed, taking international indicators into account. Otherwise, we unnecessarily reduce our children to a pampered state until age 25 when we look at compulsory education plus university together."