OSMANLI İDARESİNİN ERMENİ OKULLARINA YAKLAŞIMI (1878-1900)

The Armenian “millet” in the Ottoman Empire were targetted by the missionary schools from the beginning of the 19th century. They’ve re-acted by opening private schools to be able to keep the community in a united form and raise the awareness of national idendity. It was also a great period for the Ottoman modernization, especially Tanzimat era and the first Constitutional period. A lot of major structural changes were realized on the institutions, judical and as well as educational system. It was a great reformation period especially for the non-Muslims and foreigners. Beside Tanzimat and Islahat edicts, a special regulation was created for the Armenian Nation in 1863, which is considered to be the first constitutional text in the Ottoman history. The government was aiming to improve learning system in a modern way, as well as to control the schools accross the country. The Regulations of General Education (Maarif-i Umûmiye Nizamnâmesi) is implemented in this regard in 1869. Russo-Ottoman war of 1877-78, was a great trauma for the Government, due to Armenians in the eastern provinces to cooperate with the Russians. According to Berlin Treaty of 1878, the Ottomans needed to carry out a reformation program in the region; however, Abdulhamid was unwilling to do anyting on this matter. The Armenian community’s schools across the country are thought to be the focus of the separatist movement. The fast-spreading non-Muslim and foreigner, particularly Armenian schools alerted the the government and put their attention to create a “control mechanism” over them. To do so, in 1886, the Inspectorate Administration of Non-Muslims and Foreigners’ Schools (Mekâtib-i Gayrimüslime ve Ecnebiyye Müfettişliği İdaresi) was established. Two years later, in 1888, a Regulation called “Mekâtîb-i Gayrimüslime ve Ecnebiye Müfettişliği Nizamnâmesi” is published to be able to control such schools’ “harmful” (muzır) activities. In addition, the improvement of the education system and ensure effective supervision, a variety of reports were created by the high ranking bureaucrats, e.g. Ferid Paşa of Vlore. However, Abdulhamid would not achieve to established full control mechanism, as he expected to perform. In contrary, an increase tends to stand out in attacks against the Sultan’s personality and the governmental institutions.