Turkey: Universities to remain closed for spring term

ANKARA

Turkey on Thursday announced the universities will be closed for the spring term, except for digital and remote education, due to the coronavirus.

Head of the Council of Higher Education Yekta Sarac said the programs, courses and practical courses which can not be offered through digital and remote education will be offered in summer.

Sarac stressed there will be no face-to-face classes at universities during the spring term, while the university entrance exam will be held on July 25-26.

He noted that this applies to all levels of education and training, including undergraduate, associate and postgraduate programs.

"We never want to be negligent about this," Sarac said.

The students should not worry about the exam, since the exam will be in the same framework of the previous ones, he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, Turkey also announced that it would extend the closure of schools in the country until April 30 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Education Minister Ziya Selcuk announced after a meeting of a science council that education would continue with online and broadcast lessons, adding that make-up classes would also be held.

Selcuk also said that high school and university entrance tests could be postponed in a future decision.

Coronavirus death toll reached 59 in Turkey, out of 2,433 infected patients, the country's health minister said late Wednesday night.

After first appearing in Wuhan, China last December, the virus known as COVID-19 has spread to at least 175 countries and territories.

The number of confirmed cases worldwide has surpassed 480,440 while the death toll is over 21,500 and almost 115,800 have recovered, according to data compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

* Writing by Dilara Hamit.