The TEOG exam (Transition from Basic Education to Secondary Education), which had replaced the previous SBS exam, was recently abolished by a sudden decision and authorities announced a complete overhaul of the system. The unexpected cancellation of the TEOG—an exam that almost 1.3 million students in the country take each year—left both students and parents uneasy. There is also uncertainty about whether a new placement system will be ready and applied this year.
TEOG was a centralized exam administered to 8th grade students each year in November and April. Work continues on a replacement system. Yusuf Tekin, undersecretary of the Ministry of National Education (MEB), said: “A transition to a period without high-stakes exams will begin for entrance to high schools. Working groups have been formed. In November we will inform the public whether the TEOG will be held.” He added that before the replacement system is finalized, a draft will be prepared and presented to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan; if approved, it will be announced to the public. System to Replace TEOG remains unclear while officials finalize details.
System to Replace TEOG and Its Features
Following President Erdoğan’s statements, it appears that the TEOG scheduled for November of this year will not be held. As work on the new system continues, education experts have begun offering proposals. One suggestion is to admit students who demonstrate high achievement in primary school directly—without entrance exams—to science and Anatolian high schools, while students with lower achievement would be guided to schools physically closer to their residence.
Another proposal recommends that the Ministry of National Education apply a narrowly focused centralized test specifically for students seeking admission to science and Anatolian high schools, while students with lower scores would be directed to neighborhood schools. What the final System to Replace TEOG will look like is still unknown, but it is increasingly likely that private schools will conduct their own admissions tests. Although the replacement system has not been publicly finalized, after President Erdoğan’s comment that “TEOG should be abolished,” the Ministry of National Education reportedly sent a circular on the same day to all provincial directorates describing a pilot system—initially considered for 5th graders—called the National Monitoring System (MİS).
“MİS” — The System Considered to Replace TEOG
In the letter sent to provincial education directorates, the Ministry provided preparation instructions for a new exam system to be applied to 5th graders and requested that this pilot test be implemented in 2017. The document indicated that the exam system under consideration as a System to Replace TEOG would be named the National Monitoring System (Milli İzleme Sistemi, MİS). Along with the circular, the Ministry specified the subjects in Turkish, Mathematics, and Science that must be covered before the planned exam date, and stated that the National Monitoring Exam would be administered once those topics were taught.
As discussions continue, stakeholders—including educators, parents, and policymakers—are awaiting a clear, official announcement describing how student placement will be determined in the coming years. Any transition will require detailed planning, transparent criteria, and sufficient time for schools and families to prepare. Until the Ministry releases a final plan, the scope and timing of the replacement for TEOG remain open matters under active consideration.