Students protest principal at prestigious Istanbul high school

ISTANBUL

Students at Istanbul’s prestigious Istanbul Lycée, known as the Istanbul Erkek Lisesi, turned their backs in protest at their principal during his speech at this year’s graduation ceremony on June 4.

Students turned their backs on Principal Hikmet Konar as he was delivering his speech, after a legislative change that went into effect about a year ago allowing the Education Ministry to directly appoint teachers, principles, and school executives.

The change stirred controversy as it replaced the system in which the views of foundations linked to schools were taken and appointed principals had to take an exam.

Konar was appointed to head the Istanbul Lycée after the change went into effect, as one of 11 high school principles changed.

The legislative arrangement had given the Education Ministry authority to include schools on what it calls the “Project School” list, thus giving it more direct control.

After the legal change was passed Konar, who had been the deputy principal of the Private Fener Rum Greek High School, was directly appointed to his current position by then-Education Minister Nabi Avcı in 2015.