ISTANBUL

In Türkiye on Monday, more than 20 million students, from the youngest preschool youngsters to teenage high schoolers, went back to school.

According to the National Education Ministry, a total of 20.4 million students and 1.2 million teachers are starting the new school year today, out of the country’s total population of some 85 million.

This year more than 45,000 new teachers will begin their duties in regions struck by devastating earthquakes this February which took more than 50,000 lives.

Preparatory and remedial programs will be carried out for a month in certain provinces to address educational deficiencies for students in quake-hit regions.

Some students in those regions have class in container or prefab buildings set up after the quakes

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed the start of the new school year, saying, "Today, with the school bells ringing, I embrace all our children whose longing for school ended and wish them great success."

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul