Abstract:

When the history of Turkish education is examined, Ihsan Sungu is among the important figures relating education between the II. Constitutional period and the first years of the Republic. Ihsan Sungu has been a teacher, director and undersecretary for more than 42 years at all levels of education and training. He also contributed to restructure of the Turkish education system. As far as the other educators of the era, Ihsan Sungu also participated in coeducation debates. This study aimed to present Ihsan Sungu's views on coeducation and his works related to coeducation. Data were collected from the newspapers that include his statements to the journalists and speeches at meetings and congresses. According to research findings, the interview in Hakimiyet-i Milliye newspaper did not express a clear view of Ihsan Sungu relating coeducation. Ihsan Bey opposed to the implementation of coeducation in high school in the congress he attended in 1930. He argued that some regulations should be made while applying to other schools. Ihsan Sungu translated three articles into Ottoman Turkish language in 1924 and the translated articles were published in the 21st volume of the Muallimler Mecmuası in May 1924. When the references of the original articles has been examined, the first one titled “muhtelit terbiye” (coeducation) published in the second volume of the book “Cyclopaedia of Education” (on pages 43-46) in 1911 in USA. The second one was also published in the same book on pages 46-47 and titled “Muhtelit terbiyenin hıfzıssıhhası” (the hygiene of the coeducation). The third article titled as “muhtelit terbiye” (coeducation) and published in the third volume of “Teacher's Encyclopaedia” in England (pages 147-157, year 1911). When the articles translated by İhsan Bey are examined, it is seen that there is no clear opinion about the coeducation. These articles are mostly in the form of situational, favorable and unfavorable views. This suggests that Ihsan Bey, instead of giving his point of view about coeducation, aimed to reveal practices and scientific studies about coeducation in other countries.

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