Schools which were closed since March due to new type of coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic have opened their doors for pre-school and first grade students after taking required measures. The new school year had begun on August 31 on TRT EBA, EBA and live classroom applications. An orientation program which was held between September 21 and 25 during the first week of the face to face education will include "1 day face to face education" for pre-school and first grade students.

 

Face to face education is not obligatory and parents can allow their children to continue with distance education upon their decision without the necessity to making written application. School administrations will decide when students will participate in the orientation program with their teachers during September 21 and 25 and plan on which day of the week pre-school students will come to school and when they will attend the 30 minute long 5 classes and when they will have 10 minute breaks.

 

Based on conditions and opportunities, school administrations will divide students into two groups according to social distancing rules and these two groups will attend orientation programs on different days. They will also guide students to follow social distancing during breaks between classes.

 

In the aftermath of the orientation programs, students will attend face to face education on two days of the week and take 30 minute long five classes between September 28 and October 2. There will be 10 minute breaks between classes. School administrations will make arrangements including assigning on duty teachers for the breaks between classes in order to maintain social distancing between students.

 

Visitors will not be admitted to the schools  

During this week, visitors will not be allowed in schools and in case of compulsory situations, visitors will be recorded and admitted in the schools in line with health measures. Children will be informed about healthy living as a part of orientation program designed for pre-school and first grade students. In addition to activities concerning hygiene, social distancing, fear and anxiety relief methods, activities regarding making acquaintances with classmates and teachers and learning about school environment will be a part of the orientation program.

 

Activities entitled "Education cannot be possible without being healthy" include issues followed by all stakeholders of education and their expectations. Sample titles of original activities of teachers are as follows: "Meeting with children, Healthy living activities (obeying hygiene rules), Keeping social distancing (inside the classroom), Meeting with parents, Centers specialized on learning how to cope with fear and anxiety/learning different departments in the school, Learning classroom principles, Healthy living activity (following nutrition rules), Social distancing activity (outside the school), Learning about school and school staff and Healthy living activity (nutrition after school hours and hygiene).

 

The Ministry has prepared the "Contact free games book" in order to providee suggestions for students for adapting to new normal and to wearing masks, social distancing rules and personal hygiene conditions. Books are delivered to all schools before September 21. Each of 60 contact free games in the book were designed in a way to develop "meeting, communicating, paying attention and cooperation" skills.

 

There will be total of 6 Turkish classes in two days of the week, total of 2 math classes in two days of the week and total of 2 social sciences in two days of the week during the week after the orientation program and following weeks. Other lessons will be available on EBA TV, EBA internet portal and live classroom applications.

 

Schools are ready for face to face education  

All required disinfection activities were completed all over the country and hygiene and disinfectant products were delivered to schools by the regional directorates of education before the beginning of face to face education. There are thermometers in every school to be used in case of a need. According to plans free masks will be distributed to all students within three weeks. Masks required to be distributed in 81 cities of the country are produced in vocational schools and public education centers and delivered to regional directorates of education. Moreover, plans concerning school buses are also completed and training of bus drivers about necessary measures during the transportation of students have been completed.

 

Warning mechanism is ready  

Within the framework of Covid-19 measures, the Ministries of National Education and Health prepared an integration system and warning mechanism. The system will make immediate warnings to school administrations in case of a virus risk among students, teachers, other school staff and school bus drivers. The school administrations will take immediate action in order to implement procedures mentioned in the guide issued by the Ministry of Health and take necessary measures. The system will notify warnings to students in case of health risks among their classmates.