Schools in Turkey to reopen as planned but remotely
A gradual transition to in-person education will begin on September 21 and will depend on how responsibly families and students behave amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Children watch from home as Turkish Education Minister Ziya Selcuk gives a lesson during a remote education programme that started in March due to Covid-19 pandemic.
Students in Turkey will start school on August 31 but remotely.
Turkey's science board met on Wednesday to discuss measures to combat the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Students of school-going age in the country will begin distance learning from August 31, on the day schools were previously set to reopen for in-person classes, Education Minister Ziya Selcuk said after the meeting.
Selcuk said schools will start to reopen on September 21 in a gradual transition back into in-person education, delaying the reopening by three weeks after a rise in coronavirus cases.
Turkey has so far reported over 244,000 coronavirus cases and above 227,000 recoveries. The death toll stands at 5,891.
Ankara announced the initial closure of schools in mid-March after the emergence of the first coronavirus cases in Turkey.
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Return hinged on responsible behaviour
Selcuk said students will return to the campus gradually and in phases.
Classrooms will be arranged in accordance with social distancing rules and schools will be provided with disinfectants and masks.
The continuation of in-person classes will depend on how responsibly families and students behaved, Selcuk said, adding swift measures will be taken if students’ families or their close circles are diagnosed with coronavirus.
Over 2,000 inspectors have been checking the standards of schools ahead of the planned reopening.
Private schools may start online classes from August 17.
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