Education in Turkestan: The socio-economic approach of the Tsarist Russia to education

This thesis, in which we study the condition of educational service inTurkistan Military Governorship-General in between 1865-1917 and theeducational policies in this region, consists of five chapters.In the introduction, the political, social, and cultural setting of Turkistan beforethe Russian invasion is examined and the Russian invasion and how it tookplace is explained. Then, how the Tsarist Russia established a newadministrative unit called T.G.G.M. in this part of Turkistan is investigated.In the first chapter of the thesis, the pre-invasion situation of ?mektep?s and?medrese?s, traditional educational institutions Turkistan Muslims possessedfor centuries, is examined. These institutions? static and non-innovativestructure is emphasized. This chapter also describes the newly developingeducational policies regarding non-Russian people in Russia during theinvasion of Turkistan.In the second chapter, the initial activities of K. P. Von Kaufman, the firstgovernor general of TMGG, and the foundation of his approach of ignorancethat forms the basis of his educational policies are studied. The differencesbetween the education policies that were implemented by the Russiangovernment on nomadic and settled people were discussed. TheAdministration of Teaching Institutions and the School of Teaching, whichwere opened in the period of Kaufman, and their influence on educationalactivities are studied.The third chapter covers the foundation, development and the influences ofRussia Native Schools, which were put forward during the governor generalRosenbach as a new project and remained one of the biggest projects of theRussian government until 1917 revolution. Additionally, discussions over theRNS system and the natural-visual method that replaced the method ofIlminskiy were examined. The School System of New Method (Yeni UsulMektep), which emerged in Kırım in 1883, as an alternative to the RNSproject and all Russian elementary school institutions, and which wasbrought to Turkistan in 1893, the innovation it brought about and itsinfluences are also studied in this chapter. 3. Rayon inspectorships, whichwas carried out between 1890-1895 and aimed for the inspection ofeducational institutions and its consequences are discussed. Lastly theAndican rebellion and its effects on the education policies are examined.In the fourth chapter, changes that 1905 Russian Revolution generated in thesociety and its effects on education are investigated. Development of thepress and book publications as a result of this effect and its impacts oneducation, in turn, are examined. The effects of 1908-1909 Palencommission on Turkistan, consequent changes in policies, educationactivities that took place until 1917 revolution are also examined in thischapter.The fifth chapter investigates the people who were effective in educationactivities and policies as well as their activities.In the last chapter, a general evaluation of education in Turkistan andRussian education policies is done. The success of the policies implementedby the Tsar?s government and its effects on Turkistan are discussed.