HACETTEPE UNIVERSITESI EGITIM FAKULTESI DERGISI-HACETTEPE UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, ss.1-13, 2013 (SSCI)
Teachers in public schools are hired through public personnel selection examination (PPSE). This exam significantly influences the life of people, leading to the necessity to analyse the system. The aim of this study is to analyse the PPSE in terms of its significance for teacher candidates. The participants of the study are a total of 300 teacher candidates who were preparing for the exam. The data of the study were collected through the administration of a questionnaire developed by the authors based on the review of literature. The questionnaire is consisted of 45 items with a five-option likert scale. The data collected were analysed through descriptive statistics, using percentage, frequency and standard deviation. The findings of the study revealed that the dominant view of the participants is that the exam content and their undergraduate education are not consistent. Most of the participants reported that they attend special courses to pass the exam. They also indicated that the exam has negative effects on their social life and undergraduate education. They also argued that the exam cannot select qualified teachers. They suggested that it should involve verbal and applied sections and be repeated after teachers begin to work at schools.