The first school bell for the 2026-2027 academic year rang on Monday at primary and secondary schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education (MEB).

The new academic year began following the summer break for approximately 17 million students and 1.2 million teachers across all levels of education.

Speaking at Gazi Anatolian High School in Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Türkiye is raising a successful, bright and promising generation that closely follows global developments, effectively uses technology and strives to improve itself.

He said students’ achievements are rising each year not only in education but also in sports, arts, science and other fields.

Referring to the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results, Erdoğan said Türkiye recorded the largest increase in scores among OECD countries in the three areas assessed by the program.

He said Türkiye’s achievement ranking in all three areas improved by 50% and that the country is the only OECD member to improve its performance among both advantaged and disadvantaged student groups in terms of equal opportunity.

He said the government’s efforts in education are aimed at ensuring that children live in a more prosperous, stronger, respected and developed country and that young people have every opportunity to pursue their dreams.

"We do this so that our teachers can fully and completely pass on their knowledge and experience to their students,” he said, recalling the government’s emphasis on education since it first came to power.

"From the day we came to office, we said, ‘Everything begins with education.’ We said that without education, everything else would remain incomplete and half-finished,” he said.

Erdoğan said the share allocated to education from the central budget has risen from 7.6% in 2002, when it ranked fourth, to 15.33% in 2026, making education the largest budget allocation.

He said 544 new educational facilities have been put into service and that their collective opening is being held Monday.

Erdoğan said the investments are intended to ensure equal opportunities for all children regardless of their families’ income levels, improve educational conditions for students and enable teachers to fulfill their duties more effectively.

"We live in a new world where global competition is intensifying and science and technology are eliminating distances,” Erdoğan said, stressing that progress in education is essential for development and success in international competition.

Turning to the Türkiye Century Education Model, Erdoğan said the model seeks to combine contemporary knowledge with the country’s deep-rooted values.

He said the model aims to raise a generation that does not merely memorize information but can use knowledge, think, solve problems and act responsibly and virtuously.

"They will use the technology, internet and artificial intelligence of our age very well, while remaining vigilant against the risks they carry. They will not become slaves to technology,” he said.

He also called on families to value children’s moral development, respect for others and commitment to national and spiritual values alongside academic success.

Addressing students, Erdoğan urged them to set ambitious goals and pursue them with determination.

MEB is implementing the Türkiye Century Education Model this academic year across kindergarten, primary, middle and secondary school grades.

Orientation programs for preschool, first-grade and fifth-grade students were held from Sept. 7 to 11, while 283,354,674 textbooks were distributed free of charge to students at public and private schools, ensuring students begin the new academic year with the educational materials they need.