Unsal Yildiz, chairman of Egitim-Sen, an independent institution that brings under its umbrella teachers from primary to high school, says that AKP policies are forcing the majority of the kids to be pushed toward either religious education, at Imam Hatip religious secondary schools, or vocational schools.
Yildiz argued that the ruling government is more interested in raising an obedient new generation, and that is why religious education is prioritized. “The Education Minister Nabi Avci’s claim that families prefer to send their kids in growing numbers to religious education is the direct result of the government policies,” Yildiz said. “While the traditional, regular, academic high schools face numerous infrastructure problems (that also includes assigning teachers), it’s only meaningful that the religious secondary and high schools now become more advanced than the others. It shows the political will, nothing else. One can see the love of AKP in Imam Hatips in their increasing numbers.

Yildiz said on Friday, Aug. 16, that “1,112,604 students took the placement test this year. This stands as a proof that all these kids want to continue their education in 'academic high schools.' Despite that, the Ministry of Education allowed only 363,872 students to do that. This new system is forcing more than half the students to continue their education in vocational high schools [or] Imam Hatips. ... Such a forced imposition like this on students cannot be accepted.”

It’s a big question mark as to whether families are increasingly demanding their children be given a religious education. In 2012 and 2013, there were a total of 1,141 Imam Hatips, or religious secondary schools. Of these schools, 42 were closed due to lack of student enrollment. Of the remaining 1,099 schools, 78 never had a student, and 461 were at half-occupancy.
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The impact won’t be seen today, but it will be all visible in a decade or so. An Islamist mindset that pushes religious values on Turkey’s population won’t create free, independent minds. This is one thing that religious education takes away, as it programs minds to follow orders. This will create more and more pressure on those who can’t adapt to that change. This is what the new education system is planting.

From the 2012-2013 school year onwards the government has introduced optional lessons in Islam. But in many schools these "optional" lessons have not been optional in reality, as both Alevi and Christian pupils have publicly stated.