Turkish Education College Türk Maarif Koleji |
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Location | |
North Nicosia Northern Cyprus |
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Information | |
School type | Public, selective co-educational secondary school |
Established | 1964 |
Principal | Fehmi Tokay |
Language | English and Turkish |
Colour(s) | Navy Blue and Gold |
Website | http://tmk.mebnet.net |
Türk Maarif Koleji (English: Turkish Education College) is a school in Northern Cyprus. In order to be admitted, students must pass an entrance examination. Due to the political changes in Cyprus during 1973 its name was changed from "The English College" to "Turkish Education College" although it is still primarily an English-medium school.
The school was founded on 27 January 1964 by Hasan Nevzat and two teachers- Behzat Gürsel and Mahmut İslamoğlu- all teaching members at the English School, which had remained in the Greek side after intercommunal fighting between Turkish and Greek Cypriots in December 1963. The School was established as a private school in a rented house in the Köşklüçiftlik area and later extended to a ruined church with four classrooms. The school was primarily set up as an English-medium school modeled on the English School on the Greek side, preparing students for the UK GCE examinations. It was then called Kösklüçiftlik English School. Eventually, the school moved to the Victoria Girls High School building near the Atatürk Square, and then transferred to the old Commercial Lycee next to the Haydarpasha Mosque. In 1968 it was turned over to the Turkish Education Office and its name was changed to the English College. Until 1973 the School did not award a diploma to its graduates. Due to the changes made in the entrance to Turkish Universities, the school's name was changed once again to Turk Maarif Koleji in 1973, and the school was authorised to award high school diplomas to its graduates. The school moved to its present location in 1974. After 1991 the secondary school portion (first, second, and third forms) moved to another building (as a separate school, Bayraktar Turk Maarif Koleji, leaving the high school portion (fourth, fifth and sixth forms). In academic year 2009-2010 the secondary school moved back onto the main premises at Okullar Yolu Street, which remains the current location of the school.