2026-2027 Academic Year Has Started: 17 Million Students and 1.2 Million Teachers Return to School

The first class bell rang for the 2026-2027 academic year in primary and secondary education institutions affiliated with the Ministry of National Education (MEB). The new academic year has started after the summer vacation for approximately 17 million students and 1.2 million teachers at all levels.

The curriculum of the Turkey Century Education Model will be implemented this year in kindergarten and practice classes, primary school 1st, 2nd and 3rd, secondary school grades 5th, 6th and 7th, secondary school preparatory and 9th, 10th and 11th grades.

2026-2027 ACADEMIC YEAR HAS STARTED

"Integration trainings" were organized between 7-11 September in order to support the school adaptation process of pre-school, primary school 1st and secondary school 5th grade students and to ensure the active participation of families in the education process. Within the scope of preparations for the new academic year, 283 million 354 thousand 674 textbooks were distributed free of charge to students in public and private schools. As of today, the first term has started for approximately 17 million students and 1.2 million teachers.

At Toygar Börekçi Secondary School, students, teachers and parents experienced the excitement of the first day of school from the morning hours. After the children were searched with a hand detector, they were allowed to enter the school garden. Within the scope of the practice initiated by the Ministry, it was seen that teachers at the school preferred to wear white coats in the new academic year.

"I'M EXCITED TO START SCHOOL"

Hüseyin Berat Yüceer, a 6th grade student of the school, said that he spent a lot of time with his family and visited his elders during the summer vacation. Stating that he had a fun summer term, Yüceer said, "I missed my school. I have a different feeling inside me. I am excited to start school." he said.

Ali Hamza Çalkap, who started the 8th grade, stated that he was studying for the central exam within the scope of the High School Transition System (LGS) during the summer vacation and also played games with his friends. Stating that he is excited to start school, Çalkap said, "We will have a good time with my friends during breaks. I am excited, I miss my teachers too." he said.

FIRST SEARCH BREAK IS ON 16-20 NOVEMBER

In the new academic year, the first semester break will start on Monday, November 16th and will end on Friday, November 20th.

The semester break will start on Monday, January 25, 2027 and will end on Friday, February 5. The first bell of the second term will ring on Monday, February 8.

The second semester break will start on Monday, March 8th and end on Friday, March 12th. Teachers' end-of-year professional training will be held on 28-30 June. The 2026-2027 academic year will be completed on Friday, June 25.

18 THOUSAND SERVICES WERE ON THE ROAD WITH THE OPENING OF SCHOOLS

On the other hand, with the opening of schools, all eyes turned to city traffic again. With the start of the 2026-2027 academic year, IMM took action against the expected density on main arteries, school surroundings and public transportation lines. Announcing the measures taken at the meeting held in AKOM, IMM Deputy Chairman Nuri Aslan stated that approximately 18 thousand school buses will be on the road today. While 3 thousand 933 additional trips were put into operation in public transportation, it was announced that the aim was to prevent 671 thousand 809 private vehicles from entering the traffic with the regulations.

3 THOUSAND 933 ADDITIONAL TRAVELS FROM IMM, DENSITY MEASURES FOR 671 THOUSAND VEHICLES

Deputy Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), Nuri Aslan, evaluated the measures taken against the traffic congestion that may occur throughout the city with the start of the 2026-2027 academic year at the Disaster Coordination Center (AKOM). Aslan attended the coordination meeting held in AKOM in the early hours of the morning and received information about the preparations for traffic, transportation and field work in Istanbul. At the meeting where transportation mobility throughout the city was discussed, the measures taken against the congestion that may occur especially in main arteries, school surroundings and public transportation lines with the opening of schools were evaluated.

In his statement to the press here, Aslan noted that 2 million 951 thousand 685 students and 171 thousand 262 teachers started the new academic year in Istanbul today and said: "We will instantly monitor Istanbul traffic with our urban cameras and respond quickly to any negativities that may occur at any point. Today, approximately 18 thousand school buses go to traffic and carry approximately 300 thousand students to their schools. We want our children to reach their schools safely, We have completed all our preparations to ensure that our parents can get to work and the traffic in Istanbul operates smoothly. Our IETT buses provide 2 thousand 768 additional trips, our metrobus provides 512 additional trips. Today, we organize a total of 3 thousand 933 additional trips. With this additional capacity, we aim to direct 790 thousand 830 passengers to public transportation and 671 thousand 809 private vehicles. "We aim to prevent it. We have also taken precautions in maritime transportation."

Stating that there are additional trips on the city lines, Aslan said, "Our pedestrian passengers travel free of charge on the Sirkeci-Harem line. We provide priority passage to our school shuttles over car ferries for the first 2 days. In addition, we opened our 94 İSPARK car parks around the school, with a total capacity of 18 thousand 722 vehicles, free of charge to school buses today. We stopped the work at our construction sites during the week when the schools opened. We removed the mechanisms that could affect the traffic flow around the school. It must continue. "We will do the necessary work during the night shift between 22.00 at night and 05.00 in the morning." he said.