Education Ministry to distribute 500,000 free tablets for distance education

Photo: AA

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Having "done well" in the first stage of in-person education, Turkey is ready to move onto the second stage, according to Minister of Education Ziya Selçuk.

"Our students who will start face-to-face education will be at school two days a week," Ziya Selcuk told a news conference on the gradual shift from distance to in-person learning.

As the country will give free tablet computers to half a million students, as the president announced on Monday, Selcuk said the distribution will be coordinated by the national education directorates and delivered by schools to students in need.

Underscoring that parents have the flexibility of sending their children to school or not, he said those students who elect not to attend in person will not be considered absent.

Turkey planned both in-person and distance education for the several grades of students who will start in-person lessons as of October 12, he said.

Rural schools which do not meet the requirements of provincial public hygiene boards will not be able to continue in-person education, he added.

He also said there might be lessons on Saturday based on the students' needs.

He said they determined several criteria, including the income level of the family and the number of siblings of school age.

On Monday (October 5), SelcÇuk said on Twitter that in-person education in primary schools, rural schools, 8th and 12th grades and special schools will begin on October 12.

Preschool and first-grade students started in-person education on September 21 while other students continued remote education. (RT/VK)