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History of Vefa High School

      Education and instruction had been plough up thanks to old style institutions as “mahalle mektebi, medrese” before the modern age was arisen in the late of 18th century.  The first modern education service in the Otoman Empire run by military academic institutions. During the long transmission age of 19th century to modern times, dual system operated; a various of modern pattern education institutions like “sıbyan mektepleri” in primary education, “rüşdiye” (secondary school), “idadi” (high school), and sultani (high-college) were established and practised in different forming process. The first military high school: Kuleli Askeri İdadisi (1845), the first teacher training school: Darülmuallimin (1848; Instructor High School in Çapa), and the first high-college: Galatasaray Sultanisi (1868). Modern academic institutions like Mülkiye Mektebi (Administration), Hukuk Mektebi (Law), and Tıbbiye Mektebi (Medicine) were independent academic schools.

1868, modern education institutions which grown up inexperienced arranged in proper order by Maarif-i Umumiye Nizamnamesi, prepared in the period of Ahmet Cevdet Pahsa, Minister of Education. According to the Nizamname, modern education institutional structure was established on three stairs as ilköğretim (primary), ortaöğretim (secondary, includes high school), and yükseköğretim (academy). Institutions for primary education: mahalle and sıbyan mektepleri; institution for academic education: Darülfünun. For the secondary educational step, there were three kinds of institution: Rüşdiye, İdadi, and Sultani. “İdadi” was known to be an exact equivalent previous model of contemporary high school. The first mülkiye lisesi (non-military high school) training in Turkish language was Vefa Lisesi (1872) which forming and specializing as İdadi lessons and classes in Mekteb-i Mülkiye.

İDADİ – SULTANİ – LİSE
All of the classes of İdadi sections in the academic faculties (Mekteb-i Mülkiye, Mekteb-i Tıbbiye, Mekteb-i Hukuk) were become together as an independent high school, named as Dersaadet İdadi-i Mülk-i Şahanesi, in 1886. The high school was moved to Vefa when the building (now called Orta Bina that was built by Sadrazam Mütercim Rüştü Pahsa) was bought by the Ministry of Education from Gazi Ahmet Muhtar Pahsa, in 1884. Because of the new local in the district of Vefa, “Vefa İdadi-i Mülki-i Şahanesi” was given as a new name of the school in 1900.
The school was set on the status of “sultani” by name of Vefa Mekteb-i Sultanisi in the educating year of 1913-1914. In that season, the school became a permanent education institution in consist of primary, secondary, and high (all 12-year) classes. After the ratification of Tevhid-i Tedrisat Kanunu in 1924, all idadis and sultanis were called as “Lise”, so the new placard of the school was Vefa Erkek Lisesi. Then the school, just like some of high schools, was limited to secondary school service; and at the same time it was moved to the building of “Pharmacy School” in Kadırga.  The secondary school served by name of  Vefa Orta Mektebi for eight years over there. In 1933, the school retransferred to its old location-historical building, and so it regained its previous post of “Lise” in Vefa, entitled as Vefa Erkek Lisesi, thanks to the initiative of over 300 people graduated, especially supports of  Kemalettin Gedeleç, the Secretary of the President. The school contained both secondary and high classes till 1990, the year of transformation as “Anatolian High School”. The school service worked merely in one building of Mütercim Rüştü Paşa Konağı for a long time. The building on the the upper garden field was used by Yüksek Öğretmen Okulu (1937) after the moving of YÖO to Çapa, the second building increased the number capacity of Vefa Lisesi. There are the places of sport and cultural activity and science laboratories in the pavilions in the lower garden.

Towards the end of 1950s, the late Necip Akar, one of our worthy graduates, arranged the Şehzade Mehmet Tabhanesi in the upper garden as the Chemical Laboratory and put it into commission.

In 1959, the Dormitory for School Boys was opened in the upper floor of the building that was taken over from Teacher Training High School. The number of the students in this dormitory increased to three hundred in the course of time. The dormitory was closed down on 12th September,1980 due to the anarchic events; yet, it was opened in 1984 as the Dormitory for School Girls after a rearrangement.

THE FIRST EVENING HIGH SCHOOL
The first evening high school in Istanbul was opened in 1958 within Vefa High School. Giving education by the name of Vefa Evening High School, it  had nearly 5000 graduates until 1978, in which it was transferred to Pertevniyal High School. There were several ministers,deputies,craftsmen,businessmen and scientists among these graduates.

Owing to the insufficiency of the school buildings, the extensions in the lower garden were removed in 1967 and  the construction of the new building started, being completed in two years and put into commission in 1969-1970 academic year.

Meanwhile, the training in Mütercim Rüştü Paşa Mansion was abated due to the ruined condition of the building. This building was restored by Vefa Lions Club which was founded by the graduates of Vefa High School and it was put into commission again in 1984 for the educational life of Vefa High School.

ANATOLIAN HIGH SCHOOL
Due to the fact that the residents in Vefa gradually left the district in 1970s and 1980s and that workplaces and workers’ dormitories were opened instead, the student potential in this area was completely obliterated and the school turned into a mixed one where students from various districts of Istanbul attended. Therefore, thanks to the efforts  of the late Cengiz Tuncer, the Minister of Transportation and the founder chairman of the Charitable Foundation of Vefa set up in 1989 by the graduates, the status of the school was converted into an Anatolian High School by the Ministry of National Education and its name became Vefa Anatolian High School.

On account of the demands of the graduates and the approval of the school management and teachers’ board, it was proposed to the Ministry of National Education in 2001 to remove the word ‘’ Anatolian ‘’ from the name of the school without changing its status and to turn back to its historical name.The Ministry evaluated this proposal at once and changed the name of our school into Vefa High School again.

Meantime, the historical buildings of the school ( the Dormitory and Mütercim Rüştü Paşa Mansion), were damaged during the earthquake on 17th August ,1999,and,therefore closed to education. Thanks to the attempts of our worthy graduates Ugur Dundar and Recep Oral,the Minister of State ,the school was financially contributed to a large extent by Istanbul Stock Exchange . After the rest of the school had been completed by the Ministry of National Education , the Dormitory building and Mütercim Rüştü Paşa Mansion were put into commission ,alternately in 2000 and 2001. Ahmet Guzel ,The Deputy of Istanbul and our worthy graduate, also had a great deal of contribution during the conduction of the contacts with the Ministry.

THE SCHOOL OF THE 21st CENTURY
Meanwhile, ‘’The Project for The Adaptation to 21st Century  ‘’,which was prepared by the school management with the aim of the renovation of the internal physical condition and the training equipments of the school and the supplementation of the deficiencies in educational technology ,was submitted to Vefa graduates through a meeting held in Güneş Hotel on 4th May, 2000. The Project was appropriated by the Vefa graduates and brought into life in two years. The Charitable Foundation of Vefa High School and the leadership and organisation of the Association of Vefa Graduates had a great role and contribution in bringing the project into life in such a short time. In this way, the school advanced physically in a short time and became the school of the 21st century.

In 2005-2006 ,thereupon that the Preparatory Classes of the Anatolian High Schools were abated and all the high schools were turned into four-year-schools, it was considered that the the foreign language –emphasized education of the school would be hindered , and therefore ,the attempts for the school to convert its status into an Anatolian High School with a five-year-education ( Preparatory Class + 4 years) found acceptance by the Ministry of National Education thanks to the close interest and supports of Esteemed Ugur Dündar.In this way,our school has become one of the six high schools with the same status since 2006-2007 academic year.

 ‘’ The Multi-media Based Educational Project ‘’ , which was presented to the Metropolitan Mayor of Istanbul,the Esteemed Architect Dr Kadir Topbaş who honoured the Kemal Sunal Culture and Art Awards Ceremony in June 2006, found acceptance and was brought into life in 2006-2007 academic year. Thus, all the classrooms, workshops and laboratories of the school were equipped with a constant projector and all the teachers were provided with a laptop to be used for educational aims  during their period of office at school.

In its 135th year, Vefa High School continues its educational mission as a prominent academic institution with its five-year-status, modern classrooms, perfect educational technology and sufficient social activity areas.