The Education Ministry has announced that the second term of the 2025-2026 academic year will begin with a nationwide initiative themed around love for the flag, aimed at strengthening unity and shared sense ıf belonging among students.
According to a written statement from the ministry, the first week of the second term, from Feb. 2 to 6, will feature flag-focused educational and awareness activities in all public and private schools across the country.
A circular signed by Education Minister Yusuf Tekin and sent to the country’s 81 provinces instructs schools to provide information on the historical and national significance of the Turkish flag.
As part of the initiative, school buildings will be adorned with Turkish flags, while students will take part in themed painting, poetry, essay and poster competitions, as well as exhibitions and various cultural and artistic activites.
The program is designed to align with the Türkiye Century Education Model with an aim of raising individuals who are integrated with national, moral and cultural values and who possess a strong sense of unity and solidarity.
The ministry said the activities are guided by slogans emphasizing independence through the flag and the future through education.
The initiative follows recent tensions in Türkiye’s southeast after an incident on Jan. 20 in the southeastern border district of Nusaybin, Mardin, during which a Turkish flag was taken down near the Syrian border.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan strongly condemned the act, vowing accountability and warning against provocation, while urging citizens not to fall for attempts to incite division.
