Turkey’s education system, especially in recent years, has sparked a great deal of controversy, typically led by frustrated students longing for a more inclusive, informative, and personal approach to education. While many opinions differ, there is one specific controversy within the country’s education system that many find the most bizarre—dividing students into two limited groups: STEM-focused and humanities-focused.

To start off, many people arguably believe they are always leaning toward one of these subjects. While it can be argued that many students can excel in both areas, the country in question takes things a little further. In Turkey, according to multiple high school students’ views, people are put in “boxes.” When, in 10th grade, you select a branch of interest, you receive extremely limited exposure to any other branch outside of your chosen one. Many people find this wonderful; for example, if you don’t have an affinity for math, you will not receive many classes on the subject. For others, it seems limiting.

Another way Turkey separates students is by actively referring to them by their branch, implying they cannot be both a humanitarian and a STEM student. Terms like “sözelci” and “sayısalcı,” which mean humanities-focused (literally “verbalist”) and STEM-focused (literally “numerical”), respectively, are introduced early on. A child is typically defined by one of the two in early elementary school years. Sometimes, a child who is defined as such gets enrolled in school clubs that align with their branch.

The way this negatively impacts students and the education system is that a person defined by one of the two strict categories early on always carries a stigma toward the opposite division. The result is decreased focus on the other subjects until they “move on” in 10th grade. Another negative aspect that affects students in general is the fact that humanities-focused students are always seen as less intellectual than their STEM counterparts. This stems from the fact that parents, teachers, and students alike assign stereotypical careers to each branch. STEM students become engineers, accountants, or doctors, while humanities students are often allocated to less respected occupations, even as high school students.

The education system does have a middle ground, however. “Eşit ağırlık,” which literally means “balanced weight,” is an additional path students may take in 10th grade, where courses like law and business can be continued. Now, if you think the pressure and judgment are less in this branch, as it is supposed to be balanced, STEM still wins this one. “Balanced” students receive negativity in the form of prejudice. This branch is seen, similarly to humanities, as a less intellectual group.

Ultimately, aside from societal pressure, using two strict terms to divide students affects their outlook on life, creating a clear distinction between the nation of Turkey and other countries. This separation is, frankly, open to criticism.