Modern educational institutions in Beyşehir (Konya) during the Ottoman Empire (1873–1930)

This study examines the modern education and teaching activities in Beyşehir District between 1876 and 1930. The aim of the research is to identify the primary and secondary schools established in the district center and its villages, to determine the number of students and teachers in these schools, and to present their curricula. Information on educational activities in Beyşehir was obtained through archival documents. Throughout history, Beyşehir has been a settlement where social, economic, religious, and educational developments were emphasized, and it maintained this characteristic during the period under study. According to the findings, a significant number of sıbyân mektebi (elementary religious schools) existed in the district. During the modernization process, characteristic institutions of the period, such as ibtidâî and rüştiye schools, were established, while some of the existing sıbyân mektebi were transformed into ibtidâî schools. In conclusion, this study evaluates the modernization of education in the Ottoman Empire within the context of provincial conditions, specifically focusing on Beyşehir District. Following the proclamation of the Republic, the educational activities in the district continued through the schools inherited from the Ottoman period.