School exams canceled

The Minister of Education and Science decided to bring forward summer break. First to 3rd graders will go on break on May 7, and 4th to 12th graders on May 14. Students who wish to enroll in vocational training centers after 9th grade can continue to study through TV lessons. Twelfth graders will have revision lessons starting May 14. The State Emergency Commission will decide whether the revisions will be held inclass or remotely.

Due to the early holidays, classes are expected to begin on August 15 in fall. Teachers’ holiday is scheduled to begin on June 1.

As was the case in the previous year, state and school exams have been canceled. Nevertheless, schools will conduct and assessment of students’ learning.

Information on the organization of the general entrance exam will be announced next week.

Due to the pandemic, students studied about 45 percent of their subjects remotely in the 2019-2020 school year, according to recent studies. Some 60 to 68 percent of this school year was taught on television and online. This school year, 247,040 children were enrolled in kindergartens and 680,837 in secondary schools.

Prolonged distance learning has had a number of negative effects on students’ health, increasing inequality, and daily workload of teachers and students. In a survey among parents and guardians, and teachers and school administrators, 72 percent of teachers and 70 percent of parents supported the proposal to extend the school holiday and restart classes in the early fall. The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture said that it has consulted with professional organizations and officials in making the decision.