Education is the foundation for the preservation of Armenian national and cultural heritage. Armenian schools teach and cultivate Armenophony, Armenology, the age-old Armenian history and the rich Armenian traditions, thus ensuring the perpetuation of Armenianism from generation to generation. The very existence of Armenian educational institutions in the countries of the Armenian Diaspora shows exactly the importance, the perseverance and the tireless efforts that the numerous Armenian communities make to avoid the "white massacre", the assimilation and peaceful disintegration of the Armenian nation. Therefore, in a way, the continuance of Armenian education up to our days is a sign of victory against the "red massacre", the Genocide.
History
Education is a very important part of the Armenian community of Cyprus. It first appeared in the second half of the 19th century, within the framework of the Tanzimat reformations. The first Armenian school in Cyprus, established by newly arrived Archimandrite Vartan Mamigonian, opened its doors in Nicosia in 1870; it was followed by an Armenian school in Larnaca (1909), Famagusta (1927) and Limassol (1928). Small Armenian schools, some public and others private, used to operate also at the Magaravank (1897–1914), the Attalou settlement near Kharcha (1910–1922), Amiandos (1928–1939 & 1942–1948), Mavrovouni (1939-1942), Nicosia (1900-1905) and Larnaca 1896-1899, 1916-1918, 1921-1936, as well as in various villages during the World War II evacuation. Of the private Armenian schools of the island, it is worth mentioning the short-lived but significant National Educational Orphanage (Ազգային Կրթարան-Որբանոց, 1897–1904), established in Nicosia by Vahan M. Kurkjian (Pagouran), and naturally the world-renowned Melkonian Educational Institute (Մելգոնեան Կրթական Հաստատութիւն, 1926–2005), established in Nicosia by brothers Krikor and Garabed Melkonian and administered by the Armenian General Benevolent Union.
In 1972, all four Armenian Elementary Schools in Cyprus were called Nareg National Schools (Նարեկ Ազգային Վարժարաններ), in memory of great Armenian monk, poet, mystical philosopher and theologian Saint Gregory of Nareg (951–1003), whose sandstone statue was sculpted in 1991 by the famous Armenian sculptor Levon Tokmadjian and placed in front of the Nicosia Nareg; it was unveiled by Representative Aram Kalaydjian on 24 March 1991. Also in 1991, all the three Armenian Elementary Schools assumed their current name: Nareg Armenian Schools (Նարեկ Հայկական Վարժարաններ). Currently, there is one Nareg school in Nicosia, one in Larnaca and one in Limassol. In Nicosia, Nareg also operates as a Gymnasium (Junior High School), as of September 2005, due to the unfair closure of the Melkonian Educational Institute. Currently, the Gymnasium section has about 10 students.
As of 1960, the annual budget of the schools is fully covered by the Ministry of Education and Culture and education is provided for free; previously, the budget was covered partly by the Armenian Prelature of Cyprus (mainly out of the exploitation of the Magaravank's carob and oil trees’ production) and partly by tuition fees. The schools are open to all children of Armenian descent. The teaching and administrative staff is appointed and paid by the School Committee, with the exception of the Greek language and history teachers, who are provided by the Ministry of Education and Culture and paid by the Educational Service Commission. In 1998 the government approved the pension scheme for the staff of Nareg Schools, with the same terms and conditions that their Greek-Cypriot colleagues benefit.
Currently, Armenian schools in Cyprus have about 205 students (Nicosia: 135, Larnaca: 30, Limassol: 40). Their administering body is the 11-member Armenian Schools’ Committee (Կիպրահայ Վարժարաններու Հոգաբարձութիւն), which - according to Law 103(I)/1999 - has a 5-year tenure and it is appointed by the Council of Ministers after the suggestion of the Minister of Education and Culture, who consults with the Armenian Representative; as of November 2009, the 11–member Schools' Committee is headed by Vartan Tashdjian. The current School Committee was appointed by the Decision of the Council of Ministers 69.557/18–11–2009, while the Decision of the Council of Ministers 70.780/14–07–2010 replaced a member who had resigned. Other than Mr Tashdjian, currently the School Committee consists of the following members: Sebouh Tavitian, Masis der Parthogh, Avedis Chouldjian, Yeran Kouyoumdjian, Assadour Devledian, Raffi Mahdessian, Nayiri (der Arakelian) Merheje, Rita Kasparian, Dr. Missag Keshishian and Haroutiun Kassabian.
Initially, the School Committee was appointed by the Armenian Ethnarchy of Cyprus until 1921, when its members were then appointed by the High Commissioner/Governor (Colonial Law XXIV/1920); between 1960–1965 it was appointed by the Greek Communal Chamber, while since 1966 it has been appointed by the Council of Ministers. In 1961, the individual public Armenian schools in Cyprus were placed under the directorship of a single Headmaster in Nicosia, with the assistance of a senior teacher in Larnaca and a senior teacher in Limassol; the Famagusta Armenian School had only one teacher. As of September 2009, the schools' Headmistress is Vera Tahmazian.
Over time, the academic curricula of these schools have kept pace with the needs and challenges of the community’s fluctuating population and the government’s requirements. Currently, the education they provide is tri-lingual (Armenian, Greek, English) and their curriculum is equivalent to that of the public schools, enhanced with lessons of Armenian language, history and geography, as well as activities that cultivate Armenianism, Armenology and the Armenian culture. One cannot overlook the fact that all Armenian schools in Cyprus are adjacent to the local churches, with the active participation of Church leaders, a vivid proof of the traditional school-church bond that has existed for centuries in Armenian reality.
Below is a list of the Headmasters for the National/Armenian Schools in Cyprus, from 1921 until today (there is no complete information before 1921):
HeadmasterTermJurisdiction Archbishop Bedros Saradjian 1921–1933 Cyprus Setrak Guebenlian 1933–1949 Nicosia, Limassol, Famagusta Haigazoun Hagopian 1933–1937 Larnaca Assadour Magarian 1937–1945 Larnaca Sarkis Avedissian 1945–1961 Larnaca Garbis Yessayian 1949–1961 Nicosia, Limassol, Famagusta Garbis Yessayian 1961–1964 Cyprus Haroutiun Essegulian 1964–1972 Cyprus Haroutiun Manougian 1972–1973 Cyprus Sarkis Avedissian 1973–1975 Cyprus Vartan Tashdjian 1975–2001 Cyprus Artin Aivazian 2001–2009 Cyprus Vera Tahmazian 2009– Cyprus
Melkonian
The renowned Melkonian Educational Institute (Մելգոնեան Կրթական Միութիւն) was built off Limassol Avenue in Aglandjia after the generous and benevolent donation of tobacco-trading brothers Krikor and Garabed Melkonian, who were not left apathetic by the horrific Armenian genocide. Adana Prelate, Bishop Moushegh Seropian, had encouraged the Melkonian brothers [commonly referred to as parerarner (բարերարներ=benefactors)] to undertake such a project, in order to give shelter and education to about 500 Armenian orphans of the Armenian genocide who had fled to Syria, Lebanon and Mesopotamia. According to tradition, the location, at the time 3 km outside Nicosia, is said to have been chosen in 1923 by Garabed Melkonian himself, because no minarets could be seen from there. Its foundation stone was laid on 15 February 1924 by High Commissioner Sir Malcolm Stevenson and it was inaugurated on 13 February 1926 by Archbishop Zaven der Yeghiayian. The grove in front of the school was planted by the first orphans, in memory of their relatives who perished during the Armenian genocide. The Melkonian evolved from an orphanage (1926–1940) to a renowned secondary school (1934–2005). A unique and unparalleled achievement, it was a beacon of hope and culture for Armenianism and Armenophony across the world, boasting an international membership of Armenian students from over 30 countries. From 1930 until its unjust closure in 2005, 1.828 students graduated from here. Rightly, it was called an ambassador of Cyprus to all over the world. It had a boarding section, a rich library and well-equipped laboratories.
On top of the entrances of the twin school buildings, there was the following inscription in Armenian:
ՄԵԼԳՈՆԵԱՆ ԿՐԹԱԿԱՆ ՀԱՍՏԱՏՈՒԹԻՒՆ (Melkonian Educational Institute)
Above each entrance canopy there were two reddish-brown crests containing the date that each building's construction started and ended. They read as following:
1924 Փետր. 15 (15 February 1924) (left side, boys' building)
1925 Նոյ. 21 (21 November 1925) (right side, boys' building)
1924 Դեկտ. 12 (12 December 1924) (left side, girls' building)
1925 Դեկտ. 24 (24 December 1925) (right side, girls' building)
Garabed Melkonian assigned the administration of the school to the AGBU on 28 December 1925. Upon becoming a secondary school, the Melkonian Educational Institute offered various branches of education. Between 1935–1967 there was a pedagogigal/teachers' section, between 1936–1942 there was a technical school (according to the reports of the Director of the Department of Education, the first true technical school of the island), between 1937–1964 and 1974–2005 there was a commercial section, between 1950–2005 there was a science section, between 1964–1973 there was a general education section, while between 1966–1975 there was a social sciences section. Other than English, French and Armenian (both Western Armenian and Classical Armenian), at times and depending on the countries of origin of the student population, the students were also taught Greek, Arabic, Persian, Bulgarian and Russian.
Also known as "an island within an island", it had a great educational and cultural impact on the Armenian-Cypriot community. It had a theatre group, a dance group, a choir, a band, a football team, a basketball team, a boys' volleyball team and a girls' volleyball team, as well as the historical 7th Cyprus Scout Group (1932–2006) and the 9th Cyprus Guide Team (1950–2005). The Melkonian Educational Institute published the famous Ayk magazine [Այգ (Dawn), 1937–1940, 1948–1956, 1959–1964, 1970–1976, 1978–1982, 1993–2006], the oldest Armenian secondary school magazine, as well as the Tsolk newspaper [Ցոլք (Gleam), 1968–1991] and Hayatsk newspaper [Հայեացք (Glance), 1998–2000], which later on became the Hayatsk magazine (2000–2004).
The Melkonian Educational Institute had been the largest and longest-living Western Armenian boarding school. The new boarding section was built between 1987–1989 by architects Iacovos & Andreas Philippou to the east of the twin buildings; its foundation stone was laid on 24 May 1987 by President Spyros Kyprianou, while its inauguration took place on 21 October 1989 by Acting President Vassos Lyssarides. To the left of the new boarding sections' entrance, there is a marble commemorative plaque in reading:
Κατάθεση θεμέλιου λίθου 24 του Μάη 1987 Πρόεδρος της Κύπρου κ. Σπύρος Κυπριανού - Foundation stone 24th May 1987 The President of Cyprus Mr Spyros Kyprianou
The school was administered by the New York-based AGBU, according to the contract signed by the benefactor Garabed Melkonian on 28 December 1925. Unfortunately, it was closed down in 2005 because of AGBU's greed masked behind the façade that the school was no longer operating efficiently. Although the litigation was won by AGBU's legal team, there is a permanent ministerial decree (02/03/2007) that characterises 60% of its total area as being of "special architectural, historical and social character and natural beauty".