Traditional Local Education in the Turkestan Region: An Analysis of Madrasa Activities in the 19th–20th Centuries

Abstract

This article explores the development and transformation of the traditional local education system in the Turkestan region during the second half of the 19th–20th centuries, with a particular focus on the structure and function of madrasas. Drawing upon historical sources and archival documents, the study analyzes the quantitative growth of schools and madrasas, the declining correlation between school numbers and educational quality, and the administrative mechanisms that governed educational institutions. It highlights the socio-political factors—especially colonial policies—that shaped the management and decline of the indigenous educational system. Special attention is given to the role of waqf properties in financing madrasas, the procedures for electing trustees (mutavalli), and the influence of educational inspectors under Russian imperial administration. The research also reviews the responsibilities and selection processes of madrasa teachers (mudarris), and includes case studies from archival records detailing administrative correspondence regarding staff appointments in the Kokand uyezd. The findings underline how colonial negligence and intervention disrupted educational continuity and institutional oversight, eventually weakening the traditional pedagogical framework. The article provides new insights into the legal, financial, and cultural dimensions of education in pre-Soviet Central Asia, offering a valuable foundation for further studies on Islamic education, regional governance, and socio-cultural transformation.