Education of the Kyrgyz in the 18th - early 20th century
It is known that in the 18th century, the Kyrgyz, although rarely, used a new writing system, as evidenced by the letters of the clan leaders Atake-bi, Boorombai-baatyr to the Russian authorities. At that time, the Kyrgyz used Chagatai script in Arabic script. Among the akyns who first began to write their works in the native Kyrgyz language, the most prominent was Moldо Niyaz (1823-1896) from Kadamjai. Moldо Niyaz wrote from the philosophical perspectives of Sufism in his elegant works about concepts close to people — good and evil, life and death, the essence of existence. The creativity of Bayymbet Abdyrakmanov (Togolok Moldо, 1860-1942) from Naryn was inseparably linked to oral folk creativity, which was experiencing an unprecedented flourishing at that time. He composed various melodic songs, creatively reworked folk ritual songs, legends, and tales. In addition, he left us a whole series of episodes from the epic "Manas" that he personally recorded. The most famous akyn-writer of the Kyrgyz people was Moldо Kylуch Shamyurkan uulu (1868-1917). He was interested in Eastern poetry, the history of literature, and philosophy. In 1911, he published a collection titled "Zilzala" ("Element," literally — "Earthquake") in Kazan. This was the first printed work of Kyrgyz poetry.
The new living conditions within the Russian Empire contributed to the printed publication of their works and the writings of Kyrgyz historians. The first written historian of the Kyrgyz, Osmonaly Sydyk uulu, published "Tarikh i Kyrgyziyа," "Tarikh i Shadmaniya" in Kazan in 1913-1914. A prominent researcher and chronicler of Kyrgyz history was Belek Soltonkeldi uulu Soltonoev, who left behind the manuscript "Kyrgyz-kazak taryhy" ("Kyzyl-kyrgyz taryhy"), which is considered an important documentary source of the history of Kyrgyzstan. For his time, B. Soltonoev was a highly educated person. He wrote a number of poetic works and was well acquainted with the historical, philosophical, and ethnographic works of prominent figures in Russian and world culture.
With the conquest of Kyrgyzstan by Russia, changes began in the education system. The number of schools in Kyrgyzstan grew, the level of education increased, and its content changed. Previously, the Kyrgyz, like other Muslim peoples, educated their children in religious schools — madrasahs. Starting in 1886, the Russian authorities organized so-called Russian-native schools. In these educational institutions, in addition to traditional Muslim subjects, the Russian language, literature, and the basics of secular culture were studied. The curriculum included subjects such as arithmetic, geography, history, natural science, and others. In 1883, there were 41 schools in the Osh district, with 391 students. By 1914, there were 229 such schools, with 3.2 thousand students (including 33 girls). In the Pishpek district during these years, there were 59 schools with 1.3 thousand students, and in the Karakol district — 128 schools with 2.3 thousand students. From the beginning of the 20th century, new-method schools emerged and became widely spread, where phonetic methods of literacy were practiced.
During this period, there was a sharp increase in the number of madrasahs — higher Muslim educational institutions. For example, if in 1892 there were seven madrasahs throughout southern Kyrgyzstan, by 1914, there were 88 madrasahs functioning in the Osh district alone. Graduates of these educational institutions became muftis, kazys, teachers, school instructors, etc.
Agricultural schools were opened in the cities of Pishpek and Karakol as the initial link of specialized vocational training. The Kyrgyz youth studying there learned new farming methods along with the Russian language, the basics of arithmetic, history, physics, botany, zoology, and other subjects.
From 1870, private (civil) and church primary educational institutions began to open for the children of Russian settlers. In 1897, a primary progymnasium was founded in Pishpek, and in 1910, a boys' gymnasium was established. In Karakol, a girls' progymnasium opened in 1911. Although in small numbers, Kyrgyz young men and women also received education in these institutions.
Despite the restrictions imposed by the colonial policy, enlightenment points and libraries were organized, where one could familiarize themselves with periodicals, magazines, and newspapers. New books in Russian, Tatar, Kazakh, and Uzbek languages were received there. Since 1911, the works of Kyrgyz poets and enlighteners — Moldо Kylуch, Ishenaly Arabayev, Osmonaly Sydyk uulu — began to be published in print, which was received with great warmth and interest by the Kyrgyz public. In 1914, the first cinema "Edison" began operating in Pishpek.
Significant changes occurred during these years in the field of healthcare. Stationary garrison hospitals began to operate, and shortly thereafter, feldsher points for the civilian population started appearing in cities. In 1900, the first city hospital opened in Osh. By 1913, there were four city and two rural hospitals in Kyrgyzstan, where patients received professional medical assistance. Following European methods, vaccinations against smallpox and typhoid fever began to be administered to the Kyrgyz population. Some representatives of the Kyrgyz population were involved in the activities of healthcare institutions, which contributed to their introduction to the foundations of certain areas of scientific medicine.
