Turkey's LGS exam results highlight education inequality

The 2026 results of Turkey's high‑school entrance exam (LGS) have sparked a debate over fairness in the education system. CHP deputy Yıldırım Kaya condemned the exam as “unfair and unequal,” noting that thousands of students were forced to register for schools far from their homes and that many school quotas remained empty, especially in technical and Imam Hatip schools. He called on the Ministry of National Education to revise the placement algorithm.

Official data show that 190,473 students were placed in the central allocation, filling 95.76 % of available seats, while about 296,000 slots nationwide stayed vacant. Among the top 5 % of performers, 52 % chose science high schools and 40 % opted for Anatolian schools. The Ministry’s spokesperson, Minister Yusuf Tekin, said the exam format will not change, but future questions will align more closely with the new curriculum.

Local authorities reported notable successes: Maltepe Municipality’s education centre achieved a 94.3 % success rate for its students; Mersin Büyükşehir Belediyesi’s course centres helped 328 pupils gain admission to qualified high schools; and Antalya’s Muratpaşa district saw ten students enter the national top‑10 % bracket. The Ministry also released the list of Istanbul’s 20 best‑performing high schools, with Istanbul Erkek Lisesi topping the chart with a perfect score.