School Adjustment Week Begins with Games

Around 4 million Turkish students began School Adjustment Week with tug-of-war, egg-carrying races and other traditional games. The program covers about 1.057 million preschoolers, 1.306 million first-graders and 1.451 million fifth-graders.

The Education Ministry designed the activities to help children adapt through play and direct experience. The modules will continue each month throughout the academic year and include learning outside school as part of cooperation between schools and families.

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Being there for our children is more important than anything else. That is why I find this leave arrangement very appropriate.

The adjustment week runs from September 7 to 11. Under guidance sent to public institutions, one working parent in public employment can receive up to three hours of administrative leave each day during the week, if requested.

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I am starting secondary school, so I am very excited. I will have a new class, teacher and friends.

At Istanbul’s 60th Year Ataköy Secondary School, parents joined their children in the schoolyard as clowns and Nasreddin Hodja led games. Several parents said the leave arrangement allowed them to share in their children’s excitement on the first day.

Fifth-graders described a mixture of excitement and concern as they entered a new school level. Some looked forward to new classmates and teachers, while others worried about coping with unfamiliar lessons and hoped for a successful year.

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I am a little afraid because I worry that I may not be able to succeed in some subjects.