Portrait of Mevhibe Sefik the first Turkish Cypriot woman art teacher.

Abstract

The professional achievement of women is very important in the development of the Turkish Cypriot society. The role of the first women teachers in the progress of education system held an important share in the trend of modernization of the society. The first half of the 20th century for Cyprus was a period of struggle to gain independence and retain its national identity under difficult conditions both economically and politically. The presence of specialist women in every occupational field could not be achieved prior to the 1950s. The achievements can he performed only in an environment that offers a rich educational background. During the periods that lacked this essential educational system for female students on the island under the British Rule, young scholars training to be teachers made the best of every opportunity and knowledge they acquired from the educators, mainly non-natives to improve themselves. This paper will introduce the reader to one of these women who is the first Turkish art teacher in Cyprus. Our attempts to discover more about the life of this first woman art teacher led to Mevhibe Sefik. She is, in fact, remembered today not only as an art teacher but also as the first female typing instructor and stage designer.

Keywords: Mevhibe Sevik, Cyprus, Turkish woman, artists, theatre, art teacher, secondary education, girls's schools, art education.

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A Society in an Attempt to Modernize and Art Education