Ethnology 

Education among the Siberian Tatars in 1918–1930: goals, problems, results (based on Tobolsk County)

Bakieva G.T. (Tyumen, Russian Federation)

The article deals with insufficiently studied issues related to education reforms among the Siberian Tatars. Peculiarities of the development of education in Tobolsk District (County) in 1918–1930 are brought to light for the first time. That period was characterized as a transition from a traditional religious school to a secular labor one. In that period, schools for the Tatar population of Tobolsk District were national, which corresponded to the proclaimed principles of the Soviet state. The authorities carried out an active policy towards education reform among the Siberian Tatars of Tobolsk County, taking into account their national characteristics and, to some extent, maintaining continuity of education. The schools which already existed were simply included into the state network, and the teachers of the new schools were those who received the traditional Muslim education. A special feature of the control over the system of education for the Tobolsk District Tatars during the period under consideration was the fact that the organization of educational field was being conducted by the Muslim subdivision, a specially created body affiliated with the District Department of Public Education, and the solution of financial and current matters was transferred to the local authorities. Due to objective reasons, the Soviet state was experien-cing great financial difficulties, and shifted logistical and financial support of the schools to the local population. The authorities failed to fully solve the main problem: to achieve mass literacy as soon as possible by introducing universal, compulsory, and free education. But still there were positive results, which certainly had been achieved thanks to the great efforts and enthusiasm of the local authorities and certain people of the regional education. Almost all maktabs, which were present in Tobolsk County, were incorporated into the network of public schools, turning from religious schools to the 1^st degree schools. The number of schools, students and teachers was growing, there was co-education for boys and girls. Such events as congresses, educational courses and conferences contributed not only to improvement of professional level of the teachers, but also served as a tool for propaganda of socialist ideas among the indigenous population.

Key words: education, Siberian Tatars, the Soviet government, labor school, management, teachers' congresses, educational courses, Tobolsk District (County).

DOI: 10.20874/2071-0437-2016-35-4-133-142

12.12.2016

G.T. Bakieva

Institute of Problems of Development of the North, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Malygin st., 86, Tyumen, 625026, Russian Federation

E-mail: [email protected]