Back to school, again?
COVID-19 Pandemic has been looming around since 2019 and became an ordeal for everyone on the Earth’s surface since then. With the cruel waves that hit, crumbling the somewhat balance every country is trying to make, all understandings of normalcy have been shattered. Surges of cases throughout the past two years have been affecting daily life drastically, leaving everyone concerned and exasperated as the pandemic continues. The only constant of our lives has ironically been the unwavering uncertainty we face daily. Subjectively, students received the short end of the stick with nearly two years of their face-to-face school life wasted with online education. And now, in the 2021–2022 education year, the Ministry of Education decided to send students back to schools, implying the more time spent with education being online, the worse it is. But sending students to school during a pandemic does not come without bearing risks. So, it all boils down to one question: The students will be able to stay at school this year, right?
What has Turkey been doing?
Like in most countries, Turkey closed off the schools in the second term of the 2019–2020 school year. This proceeded with endeavors to establish a proper and sustainable online education system. However, most students and teachers not having access to certain technological devices, internet, and other necessities to pick up online education have caused disruptions. More specifically, creating an insurmountable gap in the education of students of all ages that snowballed more and more as time passed. The online education system that was set lasted until the end of the 2020–2021 school year until a hybrid system of online and face-to-face education was introduced, with face-to-face attendance being optional. Causing both relief since students would be reunited with their friends, and concern about the possible cases because none of the students were vaccinated. That school year ended after being a bit prolonged, on the second day of July in order to make up for the gap in education during the tumultuous education year. Finally leaving the students to a much-needed summer break from all the stress. Also keeping in mind how hard it most probably was to adjust to online education, something that was unprecedented by nearly all students.
So, what about the students in this education year?
This year, the new Minister of Education dwelled on the fact that schools staying open is a priority considering the unfruitful 2 years spent with online education. This is most probably caused by the fact that nearly half the country does not have access to the technological devices needed or cannot afford to continue staying at home and attending online school. On the contrary to schools opening, hundreds of classrooms around the country have been isolated and quarantined since the school year started, which is mere two weeks. Even though certain school rules or precautions can be taken with the guidance of the Ministry of Education, not much can be done with the lack of vaccination. Said vaccination eligibility age has just been lowered to 15, only now starting to vaccinate children near that age criteria. This development has just been raised after the opening of schools. Considering the time it will take to vaccinate all students who are fifteen or older, and the fact that students who are fifteen or above are just the minority of the students, it is extremely alarming to both students and parents. So far, the only vital protection against COVID-19 for students stays as mere masks.
Works Cited
Demirci, Yazar: Sinem, and Sinem Demirci. “Covid-19 Ve Dünyada Okulların Durumu.” Tedmem, 29 June 2021, tedmem.org/covid-19/covid-19-ve-dunyada-okullarin-durumu.
“Aşılama Kaç Yaşa Indi? 12 Yaş Ve 15 Yaş Üstü Koronavirüs Aşısı Olabilecek Mi? i̇şte Yeni Karar!” CNN Türk, www.cnnturk.com/saglik/son-dakika-asilama-kac-yasa-indi-12-yas-ve-15-yas-ustu-koronavirus-asisi-olabilecek-mi-iste-yeni-karar.
Gul, Dilek. “Eğitimci Ve Veliler Yanıtladı: Okullarda Pandemi Önlemleri Yeterli Mi?” Euronews, 18 Sept. 2021, tr.euronews.com/2021/09/18/egitimin-ikinci-haftas-nda-611-s-n-f-karantinada-okullardaki-pandemi-onlemleri-yetersiz-mi.
2020. More students go back to school for face-to-face education. [image] Available at: <https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/more-students-go-back-to-school-for-face-to-face-education-159069> [Accessed 19 September 2021].
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