Markaziyah High School

Al-Markaziyah is the Anglicized form of Central (Arabic: المركزية‎) full name Al-Idadiyah Al-Markaziyah (الإعدادية المركزية) is the oldest and most renowned high school in Iraq. It was established in 1918 in Baghdad and has been offering classes in science and literature in addition to Arabic, English and French.

The idea to establish Al-Markaziya High School goes back to April 16, 1918, when the Iraqi Ministry of Education (وزارة المعارف) expressed its intention to found a secondary school for the teaching of modern science and literature for three years post elementary school. Dawood Niazi was then appointed principal of the School and Al-Khatooniyah School’s building (المدرسةالخاتونية) located in Abbas Afandi area on Al-Jimhouriyah Street (شارع الجمهورية) of Baghdad was chosen to temporarily host the School. However, the opening of the School was long overdue, and following the end of the elementary school year, a number of teachers met at the home of Mohammed Naji Al-Qishtini, Principal of Al-Baroodiyah School to discuss the matter. They agreed on opening one secondary school class at Al-Haidariyah School building, which was then run by Abdul Majeed Zeedan. When this class was opened, 15 students who had just finished elementary school applied for admission. However, the British authorities soon closed the class, but pressure and perseverance from parents resulted in Major Bauman, Warden for Education in Iraq, agreeing to reopen the class for the academic year 1919-1920.

The class had 7 students only, and teachers were brought for them from the American University of Beirut. However, when the first school year concluded, it was decided to open an inclusive secondary school, and the building of Old Missions Department (دائرة البعثات القديمة) was allocated for the School. The School was provided with Iraqi and Arab prominent teachers such as Abdulmajeed Khoja, Muhiddin Al-Nasiri, and Abdulaziz Al-Pachachi. The School was soon moved to the building of Al-Ittihad School, which was later named Al-Ma’mooniyah (المأمونية), until it was allocated a building that it continues to occupy today.

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