Famagusta Namık Kemal High School

35°7′4″N 33°56′28″E / 35.11778°N 33.94111°E / 35.11778; 33.94111

Famagusta Namık Kemal High School
Gazimağusa Namık Kemal Lisesi
Location
Map
Famagusta

Northern Cyprus
Information
TypePublic secondary school
Established1944
Colour(s)Green and Yellow    

Famagusta Namık Kemal High School is a secondary school located in Famagusta, Northern Cyprus. It was founded in 1944. Many famous Cypriots have graduated from Famagusta Namık Kemal High School.

History

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As the first Turkish Cypriot secondary education institution in Famagusta, the school was initially founded as the Famagusta Middle School (Turkish: Mağusa Ortaokulu) in 1944. It was initially a single room appended to the Gazi Primary School building.[1] On opening, the school had 60 students.[2] Once it reached 72 students in 1945, it moved to its own separate building; in 1949, it moved to the Kutup Osman Tekke building. The British colonial government of the time provided the monetary resources required to expand middle schools with a further three year groups, thus establishing high schools in the process. With the instigation of Niyazi Manyera, the Famagusta Middle School was expanded in 1953 and renamed after Namık Kemal, the Turkish nationalist poet who had been imprisoned in Famagusta.[1] By 1959, the school had 2,000 students.[2]

In December 1961, the students of the school undertook strike action and refused to attend school in protest of the Turkish Cypriot Communal Assembly and its educational policies. After the incident made national news, the parents wrote a letter to Rauf Denktaş, the head of the Assembly, apologising, and stating they would ensure their children returned to school.[3]

Owing to its historical status, the high school has one of the largest libraries in Famagusta, but keeps this library closed to the public.[2]

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ a b Mendeli, Hürmüs. "Namık Kemal Lisesi'nin Kıbrıs Eğitim Tarihi Açısından Önemi ve Tarihi Gelişiminin İncelenmesi" (PDF). Near East University. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Dedeçay, Servet Sami (1991). Kıbrıs'ta Kıbrıslı Türklere Ait Kütüphaneler ve Kitabevleri (in Turkish). Nicosia: Lefkoşa Özel Türk Üniversitesi Yayınları. pp. 53–54.
  3. ^ "Namık Kemal Lisesi Öğrenci Velileri Toplandı". Bozkurt (in Turkish). 15 December 1961. p. 1.