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Istanbul province announced Sunday that all schools will close Monday due to anticipated severe winter weather conditions, granting students a one-day break from in-person education as meteorological data points to hazardous conditions across Türkiye's largest city.
The Istanbul Governor's Office issued the closure order late Sunday evening, affecting all public and private educational institutions throughout the metropolitan area on January 12, 2026. The suspension encompasses not only traditional schools but also public education centers, maturation institutes, private tutoring courses, driving schools, special education and rehabilitation centers, and supplementary courses operated by both public and private schools.
"Have a good holiday, children," the governor's office wrote in its social media announcement, adding snowflake emojis to the message.
Beyond school closures, the order extends administrative leave to specific categories of public sector employees. Veterans, disabled veterans, employees with disabilities, pregnant women, and women with children under eight years old will not be required to report to work Monday.
However, the leave policy excludes women with young children who work in essential services including healthcare, law enforcement, and snow removal operations. Mothers of disabled children under eight years old will receive administrative leave regardless of their professional sector, according to the announcement.
Istanbul, a sprawling metropolis of approximately 16 million people straddling Europe and Asia, periodically experiences winter storms that disrupt transportation and daily activities. The city's challenging topography, with steep hills and proximity to the Bosphorus Strait, can make winter weather particularly difficult to navigate.
School closures due to weather conditions are announced on a case-by-case basis in Türkiye, with provincial governors holding authority to suspend educational activities when meteorological conditions present safety concerns for students and staff.
The one-day closure allows families to keep children home safely while municipal services prepare roads and public spaces for the incoming weather system.
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