The Patriarchal Great School of the Nation characterizes reports about the school’s closure as inaccurate and misleading. The reports followed the school’s announcement of its relocation due to work being carried out to reinforce the building’s structural stability.
In a statement, the school asserts that some media outlets presented the matter of the temporary relocation “with exaggerations or inaccuracies, possibly attempting to exploit a purely technical issue.”
“Any reference to a ‘closure,’ ‘evacuation,’ or ‘suspension of operations’ does not correspond to reality,” the administration emphasized in the announcement. According to the statement, the Great School of the Nation “continues its operations without interruption, faithful to its mission and historical heritage.”
The announcement underlines that the Great School of the Nation “has never sought, nor does it allow, its name to be used for other purposes.”
The temporary relocation is due to structural reinforcement work
The statement emphasizes that the relocation is “a sign of responsibility and respect towards the students and staff, and not a suspension of the educational process.”
Reports on the matter emerged last month when it was disclosed that the Great School of the Nation, a historic educational institution with 571 years of uninterrupted contribution to Greek education, would be temporarily relocated due to the need for structural reinforcement of its 19th-century building in the Phanar to withstand potential earthquakes in Constantinople.
The Patriarchal Great School of the Nation is housed in an impressive red-brick building overlooking the Golden Horn in Constantinople. Constructed between 1881 and 1883 on land formerly owned by Dimitrios Kandemir, the building was designed by architect Konstantinos Dimadis. It is the oldest continuously operating Greek educational institution. Founded after the Fall of Constantinople in 1454 by Patriarch Gennadios Scholarios, it is a continuation of the Ecumenical Patriarchal School, established in the 4th century by Emperor Constantine the Great.
Read the full statement:
“In light of recent reports that inaccurately and incorrectly present the situation of the Patriarchal Great School of the Nation, we deem it necessary to provide the Greek community, alumni, and all interested parties with responsible and substantial information about this historic institution.
Under the supervision and financial support of the Turkish Ministry of Education, the School conducted studies regarding the structural stability of its historic building. The findings indicated the need for reinforcement to ensure the absolute safety of students, educators, and staff. Due to the nature of the work, it cannot be carried out during normal school operations. Therefore, temporary relocation to a building that meets modern earthquake-resistance and suitability standards has been deemed necessary.
It should be emphasized that any reference to ‘closure,’ ‘evacuation,’ or ‘suspension of operations’ does not reflect reality. The school continues its operations without interruption, remaining faithful to its mission and historical heritage. The temporary relocation demonstrates responsibility and respect for students and staff and does not constitute a suspension of the educational process.
We regret that some media outlets have chosen to exaggerate or inaccurately report on the issue, possibly in an attempt to exploit a purely technical matter. The Great School of the Nation has never sought to use its name for other purposes, nor does it allow it to be used for such purposes.
Please note that the Administration and the School Board are the only authoritative sources of information regarding school matters. Any other information may not be accurate, which could harm the institution’s reputation and historical mission.
With a history of more than five centuries, the Patriarchal Great School of the Nation continues its work in education and culture uninterrupted. It remains faithful to its traditions and respects the institutional authorities under which it operates. With the support of the Greek community and all who respect its history, the school will emerge from this challenge stronger and safer.
Source: protothema.gr
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
