The purpose of this study is to determine teachers' opinions regarding the impact of competitive education approach - practices - on students' social and emotional development. Qualitative method was preferred in the research study and interview technique was used. Criterion sampling, one of the purposeful sampling methods, was used when determining the participants. The participants consist of 20 teachers who work in Sincan district of Ankara province in the 2022-2023 academic year, vary in terms of demographic characteristics, teach 12th grade students, and have worked for at least 5 years. In this study, a semi-structured interview form was created as a data collection tool to examine the social and emotional development of students in competitive education in terms of teachers' opinions, and was applied remotely via Google form. The answers given to the interview form in the study were analyzed with the content analysis method used in qualitative studies. The findings were coded and interpreted by creating themes. The classroom guidance program of the Ministry of National Education includes competencies in three development areas of students: academic, career and social and emotional. Social and emotional development area; It consists of ensuring personal safety, self-awareness, interpersonal skills, understanding and managing emotions, and decision-making competencies. As a result of our study, in which we discussed the effect of the competitive education approach, which is the purpose of our research, on the social and emotional development of students in the context of the social and emotional development competencies of the 12th grade guidance program, it can be said that the competitive education approach is insufficient to realize the social and emotional development of students at the desired level. While protecting personal security, self-awareness, interpersonal relations and decision-making skills show development in the social field, understanding and managing emotions show emotional development. At the end of the research, comparative practices that support emotional development can be determined by universities, and it can be recommended to provide consultancy services to the Ministry of Education and schools, to support the social development of students by school-family cooperation for each student, and to be supported by school administrators. Keywords: Competition, competitive education, social and emotional development, meritocracy