Turkey releases new social activities policy for schools

The Directorate General of Secondary Education has released the Social Activities Policy Document as part of the ‘Türkiye Yüzyılı Maarif Modeli’. This new framework establishes a holistic approach to social activities in schools, requiring institutions to plan activities based on student needs and principles outlined in the document.

To support this initiative, schools are expected to establish sustainable collaborations with universities, municipalities, non-governmental organizations, and sports clubs. The policy organizes activities into five core themes: ‘Our Cultural World’, ‘Art’, ‘Sports’, ‘Science’, and ‘Nature-Environment-Society’. These themes are supported by five main goals and 26 sub-goals.

Under the new guidelines, all schools will prepare an annual School-Based Social Activities Action Plan to increase student participation in cultural, artistic, sporting, and scientific events. The document provides 160 activity examples across the five themes and introduces 48 updated student clubs. Eight specific clubs, including the Red Crescent Club, Green Crescent Club, and Life Skills Club, are now mandatory for all schools.