“Metafizika” Journal AcademyGate Publishing
Vol 7, issue 3, serial 27, 2024. pp.59-75 p-ISSN 2616-6879; e-ISSN 2617-751X
59
UDC: 93/94
LBC: 74.03 (2)
MJ № 222
10.33864/2617-751X.2024.v7.i3.59-75
The Formation of a New Soviet Education System in Azerbaijan
SSR
Aynur Aliyeva
Abstract. This paper addresses the development of the education system during the
Soviet period, with particular attention given to the role of intellectuals in the growth of
education. The establishment of the new Soviet education system in Azerbaijan faced
significant challenges, such as the lack of qualified teaching staff. It was necessary to prepare
educators, introduce new teaching materials and programs, and apply progressive teaching
methods. In response, the Soviet government of Azerbaijan issued a series of decrees and
orders in 1920 to guide the development of public education. These aspects are given special
attention in this article. Azerbaijani intellectuals endeavored to create all possible
opportunities for the advancement of education. The 20th century holds a special place as a
productive period in the enrichment of Azerbaijani culture, which is an integral part of
human civilization. This period of history is distinguished by its unique characteristics,
historical and social conditions, all of which left a profound impact on the fields of culture
and art. The 20th century is remembered as a time of social and political revolutions and
changes in the history of the Azerbaijani people. Although the social, historical, and political
changes had a significant impact on national culture and art, this period can generally be
characterized as a productive stage of development. At the beginning of the century, the
efforts of national enlightened forces in cultural development, their initiatives, and their work
in organizing and forming various cultural and artistic fields provided a major impetus for
the revival of culture in Azerbaijan. It was necessary to create a new system of public
education, develop a wide network of cultural and educational institutions, lay the
foundations of scientific knowledge, familiarize the working class with artistic resources,
free women from patriarchal oppression, eliminate harmful customs and ceremonies, and
pave the way for the cultural and spiritual development of individuals.
Keywords: Education, Azerbaijan, Soviet Union, public education, school systems.
Doctor of Philosophy in history,
Azerbaijan Cooperation University, Lecturer; Baku, Azerbaijan
E-mail: aynur.eliyeva.ramiz@mail.ru
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7826-3623
To cite this article: Aliyeva, A. [2024]. The Formation of a New Soviet Education System in Azerbaijan SSR.
“Metafizika” journal, 7(3), pp.59-75.
https://doi.org/10.33864/2617-751X.2024.v7.i3.59-75
Article history:
Received: 09.05.2024
Accepted: 08.07.2024
“Metafizika” Journal AcademyGate Publishing
Vol 7, issue 3, serial 27, 2024. pp.59-75 p-ISSN 2616-6879; e-ISSN 2617-751X
60
УДК: 93/94
ББК: 74.03 (2)
MJ № 222
10.33864/2617-751X.2024.v7.i3.59-75
Формирование новой советской системы образования в
Азербайджанской ССР
Айнур Алиева
Абстракт. В данной статье затрагиваются вопросы развития системы образования
в советский период. Основное внимание уделялось роли интеллигенции в развитии
образования. Создание новой советской системы образования в Азербайджане
столкнулось с такой серьезной проблемой, как нехватка преподавательских кадров.
Требовалось подготовить преподавательский состав, применить новые учебные
материалы и программы, прогрессивные методы обучения. Поэтому в 1920 году
советское правительство Азербайджана издало ряд декретов и распоряжений,
направляющих новое развитие народного образования. Всем этим в данной статье
уделено особое внимание. Азербайджанская интеллигенция старалась создать все
возможности для развития образования. XX век занял особое место как продуктивный
этап в обогащении азербайджанской культуры, являющейся неотъемлемой частью
человеческой цивилизации. Поскольку этот период истории отличается своими
особенностями, историческими и социальными условиями, все эти особенности
неизбежно оставили свой глубокий след в области культуры и искусства. XX век
запомнился как период социальных и политических революций и перемен в истории
азербайджанского народа. Хотя произошедшие общественно-исторические и
политические изменения оказали свое влияние на национальную культуру и
искусство, в целом с точки зрения развития этот период можно охарактеризовать как
продуктивный этап. В начале века поддерживающая деятельность национальных
просветительских сил по развитию культуры, реализованные ими меры, работа по
организации и формированию отдельных областей культуры и искусства дали
крупный толчок возрождению культуры в Азербайджане. Необходимо было создать
новую систему народного образования, развить широкую сеть культурно-
просветительских учреждений, заложить основы научных знаний, приучить
трудящихся к художественным средствам, освободить женщин от патриархального
рабства, искоренить вредные обычаи. и церемоний, а также проложить новый путь для
культурного и духовного развития личности.
Ключевые слова: Образование, Азербайджан, Советский Союз, народное
образование, школьная система
Доктор философии по истории,
Азербайджанский университет кооперации, преподаватель; Баку, Азербайджан
E-mail: aynur.eliyeva.ramiz@mail.ru
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7826-3623
Цитировать статью: Алиева, А. [2024]. Формирование новой советской системы образования в
Азербайджанской ССР. Журнал «Metafizika», 7(3), с.59-75.
https://doi.org/10.33864/2617-751X.2024.v7.i3.59-75
История статьи:
Статья поступила в редакцию: 09.05.2024
Отправлена на доработку: 03.06.2024
Принята для печати: 08.07.2024
“Metafizika” Journal AcademyGate Publishing
Vol 7, issue 3, serial 27, 2024. pp.59-75 p-ISSN 2616-6879; e-ISSN 2617-751X
61
UOT: 93/94
KBT: 74.03 (2)
MJ № 222
10.33864/2617-751X.2024.v7.i3.59-75
Azərbaycan SSR-də Yeni Sovet Təhsil Sisteminin Formalaşması
Aynur Əliyeva
Abstrakt. Məqalədə Sovet dövründə təhsil sisteminin inkişafı məsələlərinə toxunulur.
Əsas diqqət təhsilin yüksəlişində ziyalıların oynadığı rola yönəldilmişdir. Azərbaycanda yeni
sovet təhsil sisteminin qurulması pedaqoji kadr çatışmazlığı kimi mühüm problemlə
üzləşmişdi. Pedaqoji kadrların hazırlanması, yeni tədris materiallarının və proqramlarının,
mütərəqqi tədris metodlarının tətbiqi tələb olunurdu. Buna görə də 1920-ci ildə Azərbaycan
Sovet hökuməti xalq maarifinin yeni inkişafına istiqamət verən bir sıra fərman və
sərəncamlar verdi. Məqalədə bu məsələlərə xüsusi diqqət yetirilir. Azərbaycan ziyalıları
təhsilin inkişafı üçün bütün imkanları yaratmağa çalışırdılar. 20-ci əsr bəşər sivilizasiyasının
tərkib hissəsi olan Azərbaycan mədəniyyətinin zənginləşməsində məhsuldar mərhələ kimi
xüsusi yer tutmuşdur. Tarixin bu dövrü öz xüsusiyyətləri, tarixi-ictimai şəraiti ilə
seçildiyindən bütün bu xüsusiyyətlər istər-istəməz mədəniyyət və incəsənət sahəsində öz
dərin izlərini qoyub. 20-ci əsr Azərbaycan xalqının tarixində ictimai-siyasi inqilablar və
dəyişikliklər dövrü kimi yadda qaldı. Baş verən ictimai-tarixi və siyasi dəyişikliklər milli
mədəniyyət və incəsənətə öz təsirini göstərsə də, ümumilikdə, inkişaf baxımından bu dövrü
məhsuldar mərhələ kimi səciyyələndirmək olardı. Əsrin əvvəllərində milli maarifçi
qüvvələrin mədəni inkişafa dəstək fəaliyyəti, həyata keçirdikləri tədbirlər, mədəniyyət və
incəsənətin ayrı-ayrı sahələrinin təşkili və formalaşması istiqamətində görülən işlər
Azərbaycanda mədəniyyətin dirçəlişinə böyük təkan verdi. Yeni xalq maarif sistemini
yaratmaq, mədəni-maarif müəssisələrinin geniş şəbəkəsini inkişaf etdirmək, elmi biliklərin
əsaslarını qoymaq, zəhmətkeşləri bədii vasitələrə öyrətmək, qadınları patriarxal əsarətdən
azad etmək, zərərli adət-ənənələrin kökünü kəsmək, mərasimlər, eləcə də şəxsiyyətin mədəni
və mənəvi inkişafı üçün yeni yol açmaq lazım idi.
Açar sözlər: Təhsil, Azərbaycan, Sovet İttifaqı, xalq təhsili, məktəb sistemləri
Tatix üzrə fəlsəfə doktoru,
Azərbaycan Kooperasiya Universiteti, Müəllim; Bakı, Azərbaycan
E-mail: aynur.eliyeva.ramiz@mail.ru
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7826-3623
Məqaləyə istinad: Əliyeva, A. [2024] Azərbaycan SSR-də Yeni Sovet təhsil sisteminin formalaşması. “Metafizika”
jurnalı, 7(3), səh.59-75.
https://doi.org/10.33864/2617-751X.2024.v7.i3.59-75
Məqalənin tarixçəsi:
Məqalə redaksiyaya daxil olmuşdur: 09.05.2024
Təkrar işlənməyə göndərilmişdir: 03.06.2024
Çapa qəbul edilmişdir: 08.07.2024
Aynur Aliyeva
The formation of a new Soviet Education System in Azerbaijan SSR
62
1.Introduction
The Soviet government started cultural changes in Azerbaijan guided by the
"communist ideology" and actually commenced with revolutionary methods
from the Center. Its activity in the field of democratizing social life and
raising the cultural level of the people had a clearly expressed partisan
character. None of key cultural issues was solved without "party leadership".
The main duty of the party was to turn culture into the wealth of the people in
the spirit of its "ideology", to involve the industrious masses in cultural-
historical building in this direction. However, in fact, the "major goal" was to
establish a dictatorship of this party, to form proletariat dictatorship "fighters"
among the masses. V.I. Lenin admitted: "Yes, the dictatorship of one party.
We are standing on this and we cannot fall from this prop." Thus, the
criterion of approaching everything only in the interests of the proletariat
class and its party instilled an authoritarian consciousness in the masses. The
republican government and party organization were mainly guided by the
above principle while building the foundation of a new, socialist culture in
Azerbaijan. As in the socio-economic and socio-political life of Azerbaijan,
the establishment of a new type of culture was conducted by party directives,
its decisions and instructions. In the early years of Soviet power, the authority
to manage all cultural and educational affairs was concentrated in the hands
of the People's Commissariat of Education. The primary areas of the spiritual
life of the newly established society - education, science, literature and art -
were actually under the control of the party and state leadership, and during
the entire course of the "cultural revolution" the "communist ideology" was
to be implemented and became the basic aim of the Soviet government.
Building the socialist culture faced great difficulties in the peculiar conditions
of the former national outposts.
2.Analysis of the latest research and publications
Many works have been devoted to this problem [4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; etc]. We
mainly relied on the works of Azerbaijani authors. During the research,
materials from the National Library of Azerbaijan were used, conclusions
based on their analysis.
The main goal is to show and analyze cultural construction in the
Azerbaijan SSR in a historical context.
3.The main material
First of all, the task was to liberate public education from the old, colonial
management method, to found a new school based on the abolition of the
foundations of privileged, clerical schools, and to fundamentally change the
education system on the basis of modern principles. It was demanded to
modernize the training process in educational institutions, to make efforts to
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63
widely involve the intellectuals of the old period in cooperation with the
Soviet authorities in the educational network, to prepare national teaching
staff, to apply new teaching materials and programs, and progressive teaching
methods. Therefore, in 1920, the Soviet government of Azerbaijan issued
numerous decrees and orders directing the new development of public
education. The former administrative office of the Ministry of Education was
abolished, bodies of the People's Commissariat of Education in the new
structure were put into operation, and education departments were established
under the uezd (county) revolutionary committees [8; 9]. On May 10, 1920, a
decree was issued on the organization of free compulsory polytechnic
schools, where classes were held in the native language, signed by the first
public education commissioner Dadash Bunyadzade. In August of the same
year, the founders of the new society established the Technical Vocational
Education Committee on the basis of the decree of the Azerbaijan
Revolutionary Committee under the signature of N. Narimanov to train
professional workforce [25, p.184]. The democratization of the types of
unified labor schools and educational institutions on the example of the new
public education system in Azerbaijan, and giving the right to all nationalities
and peoples living in the republic to create their own schools and cultural
institutions were announced. In accordance with the "Uniform Labor School
Regulation of the Azerbaijan SSR" (May 26, 1920), the school was divided
into two stages - the first stage was a five-year course, the second stage was a
four-year course. Principles of self-management of unified labor schools
were defined in the "Regulation" [35, p.3]. There was also a special decision
"on the joint education of children in a labor school". However, taking into
account the specifics of the local situation, separate classes for boys and girls
were temporarily suspended in the educational institutions and groups
attended by Azerbaijani students. According to the decree of the Azerbaijan
Revolutionary Committee on freedom of conscience in May 1920, it was
forbidden to study religious teachings and hold any religious ceremonies in
all public schools under the People’s Education Commissariat. The Ministry
of Religion was terminated [38, p.49]. According to the special order of the
People's Education Commissariat, persons of religious rank holding or
performing the position of chairman of educational institutions and school
councils were dismissed from their positions –[11]. The state and school were
completely separated from the church and mosque. On September 19, 1920,
the first congress of Azerbaijani cultural and educational workers was opened
in Baku. The head of the government of Azerbaijan, Nariman Narimanov,
announced at the congress: "With the abolition of the old system, the school
should also be renewed. Teaching and education methods should be new."
Aynur Aliyeva
The formation of a new Soviet Education System in Azerbaijan SSR
64
[30, p.301]. In December 1920, by the decree of the Azerbaijan
Revolutionary Committee, it was confirmed that the native language of the
students is the language of teaching in schools of the first and second stages
[5; 6]. Due to the lack of Azerbaijani teachers with higher education in
second-stage schools providing secondary education, national school building
had serious challenges. In 1920, only three percent of all teachers had higher
education, and the rest had secondary, lower and home education [5; 6].
There were only 2,000 teachers in the republic on the eve of the
establishment of Soviet power, but approximately 40,000 teachers were
required for the normal functioning of the existing schools [34]. Therefore,
since 1920, three-month courses for training teachers began to be organized
in different districts of Azerbaijan. Already at the first stage, more than a
thousand people were involved in these courses. During 1920-1922, teachers’
seminaries were opened in Baku, Nukha, Shusha, Ganja, Gazakh and
Nakhchivan. Pedagogical technical schools played a necessary role in mass
training of school teachers, and in 1925-1926, 16 such technical schools were
operating in Azerbaijan, where up to two thousand students were educated.
The majority of the students of these technical schools were composed of
village children. The government took measures to improve the financial
situation of rural teachers, to supply schools with fuel and other resources. In
September 1922, the Council of People's Commissars decided to allocate 10
percent of the food tax to the local budgets of the People’s Commissariat of
Education in uezds in order to improve the financial situation of the public
education system and regulate the provision of children with food [23]. There
were not enough school buildings in Azerbaijan, especially in the uezds, and
there were no constructions suitable for school buildings in the villages.
Despite the serious financial difficulties of the republic, thanks to the
persistent and selfless activity of public education workers, with the help of
the government, the party and public educational organizations expanded the
construction of new schools in cities and uezds, and restored buildings
suitable for schools. Already in 1923, new school buildings were built in ten
villages of Zagatala uezd. In the same year, four new schools were opened in
Agdash uezd, in 1924, two in Ganja uezd, and five in Gazakh uezd. In the
academic year 1924-25, 34 new schools began operating in Azerbaijan and
the construction of 13 was completed. However, at the beginning of 1926,
schools were meeting only 35 percent of the needs of the population of the
republic [18; 19]. It was difficult to involve girls from the local population in
schools due to the lack of female teachers and personnel. By eliminating the
challenges related to the specific characteristics of the situation of women,
the public education bodies managed to increase the number of Azerbaijani
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65
girls in first-stage schools from 6,148 in the 1920/21 academic year to to
14,189 people in the 1926/27 academic year. 12. The Soviet school in
Azerbaijan primarily had to serve the tasks of training the personnel who are
the defenders of the new society, the "dictatorship of the proletariat" in the
spirit of "communist ideology". This principle was the basis for the
development of new textbooks, curriculum and programs. To this end, in
1920, a special commission for the preparation of textbooks was founded in
the People's Education Commissariat, which later was turned into a
department for compiling and publishing textbooks. Experienced pedagogical
personnel - Mahmud Bey Mahmudbayov, Abdulla Shaig, Farhad Aghayev
and others - were involved in the compilation of new textbooks in the native
language [15; 16; 17]. Since December 1923, the Scientific-Methodical
Council was operating in the People's Education Commissariat, which was in
charge of the methodical work of all unified labor schools. In fact, a unified
education system was created in Azerbaijan under state and party control. In
this system, the curriculum and programs were based on the topics of labor,
society and nature. A special commission under the Council of People's
Commissars of the Azerbaijan SSR was managing the production of the most
necessary educational materials and equipment for republican schools [2].
Starting from June 1921, handicraft workshops operating under the Council
of People's Commissars were preparing visual teaching materials. In order to
organize education among the national minorities in Azerbaijan, a special
department with Persian, Armenian-Georgian, Jewish, Kurdish, Lezgi and
Tatar sections operating under the People's Commissariat of Education. In the
academic year of 1925/26, there were 1057 Azerbaijani of I stage, 190
Armenian, 132 Russian, 5 Georgian, 7 German, 2 Jewish, 2 Greek, 1 Aysor,
4 Tatar and 40 mixed schools in the republic. Pedagogical courses were
opened for them, where attempts were made to publish the alphabet in their
native language. Azerbaijani teachers took part in the activity of the All-
Union Teachers' Congress, which was opened in Moscow on January 12,
1925. After that, on May 25, 1925, the first congress of Azerbaijani teachers
was held in Baku. At the congress, the first achievements in the field of
building a new school in the republic were concluded. Azerbaijani educators
F. Aghayev, A. Amirov, O. Jalilbayova, A. Huseynov, F. Rzabeyli,
Ġ.Ġsayev, J. Juvarlinski actively participated in the building of new school
system. S. Akhundov (Aghdam), G. Musayev (Guba), A. Eyvazov (Fuzuli)
and others were doing great work in the field of public education in the
regions. The number of teachers in the republic rose from 2,611 in the
1920/21 academic year to 5,232 in the 1925/26 academic year due to the
great work done in the field of training of pedagogical personnel and
Aynur Aliyeva
The formation of a new Soviet Education System in Azerbaijan SSR
66
improving their financial situation. The number of schools and children
studying there was growing. The number of 937 schools of I stage in the
1920/21 academic year surged to 1420 in the 1926/27 academic year, and the
number of their students increased from 74,922 to 150,625. 15. In 1926/27
academic year, 66,528 students were studying in all schools of the republic
compared to 48,076 in 1918/19 academic year. Thus, in the 20s, the
foundation of new Azerbaijani schools was laid, conditions were created for
the mass involvement of workers in education.
4.The struggle for the abolition of illiteracy
Eliminating illiteracy of the population was considered to be the crucial and
primary task of public education in Azerbaijan. In 1917, only 9.3 percent [29]
of the entire population in Azerbaijan was literate, and the number of
educated rural residents and women was less. Eradication of illiteracy was
carried out in September 1920 in all urban uezd centers and villages under the
leadership of the specially organized Central Commission under the
Azerbaijan People's Commissariat of Education according to the uniform
plan [26]. On July 14, 1921, in a special decision of the Council of People's
Commissars, the elimination of illiteracy was announced as a primary and
urgent task of the Central General Political-Education Establishment, which
was organized at the beginning of the year [1]. Schools and courses for the
elimination of illiteracy, covering all classes of the population, began to be
opened in the republic. As well as teachers, all educated people actively
participated in the struggle for eliminating the illiteracy. All staff and board
members of the People's Education Commissariat were completely freed
from performing other duties and tasks in local revolutionary committees and
other organizations, and were involved in the organization of public
education in uezds. 18. The 4th congress of the Azerbaijan Communist Party
(February 1922) considered it important to approach the fight against
illiteracy among the population of Azerbaijan as the vital task of the year. In
the 1922/23 academic year, 257 literacy schools attended by 7,517 people
were operating in Baku and its surrounding mining districts, while it was
possible to organize only 189 schools in all uezds of Azerbaijan, covering
only 3,852 people [31, p.235]. In 1922, 20 special mobile groups were
organized in Baku and its mining regions in order to attract shift workers to
the literacy school. Similar mobile literacy schools were also established in
the uezds. They involved the backward class of peasants in getting education.
In the 1922/23 academic year, 14,336 people were employed in courses and
schools eliminating illiteracy throughout Azerbaijan [10, p.123]. 6,954 of
them were Azerbaijanis, including 492 women. In the following academic
year, voluntary organizations and societies were formed in the field of
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2024, vol 7, issue 3, serial 27, pp.59-75
67
illiteracy eradication. In order to centralize the work of eliminating illiteracy
in a uniform body, in December 1923, the "Committee to struggle against
illiteracy" was founded under the leadership of G. Musabayov, the chairman
of the Council of People's Commissars. In the decision of the Council of
People's Commissars and Central Executive Committee of Azerbaijan SSR
dated March 18, 1924 "On the elimination of illiteracy among the population
of the Azerbaijan SSR", acquiring literacy was assigned to all the population
aged 15-25 who could not read or write [32, p.68]. For this purpose, the right
to use empty rooms in factories, plants and offices, clubs, public houses and
schools was given. Maintaining the salary, the 8-hour working day of
workers studying in literacy schools was reduced by 2 hours during the entire
education period [13]. On July 17, 1924, the society "Abolish illiteracy" was
founded in Azerbaijan. People's Internal Affairs Commissioner H. Sultanov
became the chairman of the society's management board [10]. Branches of
the Society State Political Parties of Azerbaijan SSR were opened in Baku
and uezds. Special authorized representatives of district party committees
directly participated in their activities. Meetings, special campaigns, "weeks"
and "days" were held under the slogan "Abolition of illiteracy" with the active
participation of workers and peasants. During these campaigns, new literacy
centers were established, and voluntary allocations were transferred to the
illiteracy eradication fund. In 1925, 16 branches with ten thousand members
of the "Abolish illiteracy" society were functioning in Baku and the uezds.
The party, the organization of the youth and professionals were especially
active in the fight against illiteracy among their members. Only in the
academic year 1924/25, the illiteracy of 1113 party members and candidates,
3234 Komsomol members and 11418 trade union members was eliminated
[31, p.68]. The trade union of land and forest workers assisted to organize
courses and schools to eliminate illiteracy among rural workers. Only in
1925, this union organized 24 illiteracy elimination centers and 22 literacy
schools for farmhands in clubs and red corners [7]. People's interest in
education was increasing year by year. This enthusiasm was particularly
strong among the Azerbaijani peasants. In many cases, literacy centers served
40-45 people instead of 20-25. In some uezds - in Guba, Gazakh and others,
conflicts between villagers were arising for occupying a place at illiteracy
elimination centers [13]. In Jabrayil, Tovuz and Guba uezds, night courses on
the elimination of illiteracy were opened at the request of the villagers, along
with the divisions of the General Political Education Establishment. The
number of people involved in illiteracy elimination centers increased steadily.
In the 1924/25 academic year, 31,755 people studied in 1,233 illiteracy
elimination centers [28, p.303-304]. Despite the weakness of the material
Aynur Aliyeva
The formation of a new Soviet Education System in Azerbaijan SSR
68
base, the lack of personnel and necessary buildings, and the large number of
illiterates, the first successful steps were taken in the field of illiteracy
elimination in the republic. Thus, from the academic year 1921/22 to the
academic year 1926/27, 102,370 people only learned the alphabet in the
illiteracy elimination centers. 63,607 of them were Azerbaijanis, including
3,466 Azerbaijani women [20, p.44]. One of the significant tasks of cultural
building in Azerbaijan – proving the majority of the population with
education and raising it to a high level - still required a lot of hard work.
Alphabet problems. In the course of cultural building in Azerbaijan, the issue
of the alphabet came up. Until the establishment of Soviet power, the Arabic
alphabet was utilized in Azerbaijan. Prominent enlighteners of Azerbaijan
were engaged in the issue of alphabet reform. Mirza Fatali Akhundov, the
outstanding Azerbaijani writer and philosopher of the 19th century, a fierce
struggler for public education, was one of the initiators of creating the
Azerbaijani alphabet by changing the Arabic alphabet [28, p.303-304].
5.Alphabet reform
From the first days of the establishment of the Soviet power, the issue of
the development of printing and publishing in the Azerbaijani language was
the crucial one standing before. The solution to this necessary problem of
cultural building absolutely required the adoption of a new, easier alphabet.
Its importance for the education of the masses of workers and peasants of
Azerbaijan was also confirmed by the progressive part of the public of the
republic. Thus, in November 1920, a commission on alphabet reform was
established under the People's Commissariat of Education of the Azerbaijan
SSR [3]. The decision adopted by the Board of the Commissariat on January
5, 1921 stated: "On the one hand, taking into account the great shortcomings
of the old Muslim font (and on the other hand) the need to facilitate the
learning of the Muslim (Azerbaijani- responsible ed.) language for the masses
... a) to replace the old Muslim font with a new one; b) to focus on the more
perfect Latin font [24, p.370]. State, party and public figures and others
justified the significance of switching to a new alphabet by speaking in the
press. On December 26, 1921, S. Aghamalıoghlu wrote in the article
"Proletarian education and the Turkish alphabet" in the "News of Azerbaijan"
newspaper: "The main tool of education is the alphabet, but the alphabet
which is easy for the mass of the working population so that the latter could
acquire much more idea and knowledge by spending less time". On March 6,
1922, the plenum of the Azerbaijan Communist Party formed a special
commission headed by S.Aghamalioghlu to switch the Azerbaijani alphabet
to the Latin script [24, p.370]. On the basis of this commission, in May 1922,
the Permanent Committee of the New Turkish Alphabet (NTA) was
“Metafizika” Journal
2024, vol 7, issue 3, serial 27, pp.59-75
69
established, which carried out the Latinization of the alphabet [22, p.161].
The committee opened its branches in all uezds, with the help of the
government (the Supreme Economic Council allocated a currency fund in the
amount of three billion manats for the needs of the committee), a new
typeface, and the necessary technical equipment for publishing literature,
newspapers and magazines in the new alphabet were purchased, specialists
were trained, and a wide range of explanation campaign among people was
launched. Chairman of the Committee of the New Turkish Alphabet (NTA)
S.Agamalıoğlu, as the chairman of the Central Executive Committee of
Azerbaijan SSR, sent the project of the new alphabet to the People's
Commissariats of Education of the Republics of Turkestan, Tatar, Khiva and
Crimea and asked them to express “their views and opinions on both the
project of the new alphabet and the idea of replacing the Arabic alphabet with
Latin” [27, p.30]. The new alphabet was applied not suddenly, but gradually,
after the principal opinion of the public was revealed, a series of essential
measures and extensive discussions were held. The replacement of the Arabic
alphabet with the Latin one caused a great splash in the countries of the
Muslim world and neighboring countries. M. Gorky appreciated the
movement for the new alphabet "The great historical service of the
Azerbaijanis who bravely stood on the front line [21, p.113]. Back in August
1922, when V. I. Lenin received S. Agamalioglu, the chairman of the Central
Executive Committee of Azerbaijan SSR, he informed Lenin about launching
the process of switching to the Latin alphabet in the republic. Later, in
December 1926, S. Agamalioglu especially noted in his speech at the 10th
All-Baku Party conference that V.I.Lenin, who listened to his adress on the
new alphabet, said: "This is a revolution in the East." [14]. Agamalioglu said
at the first plenum of the All-Union New Turkish Alphabet Central
Committee held in 1927: "This revolutionary measure that I personally
presented in 1922 was approved by Comrade Lenin." It is no coincidence that
on September 25, 1922, even the Central Committee of Russian Communist
Party discussed the issue of applying the Latin alphabet and decided to accept
the initiative of the Central Executive Committee of Azerbaijan SSR and
offered all possible assistance to the All-Union Central Executive Committee.
Of course, meantime, the center’s political interest aimed to separate the
Soviet eastern peoples from the Muslim world cannot be overlooked. There
were those who resisted the application of the Latin alphabet among religious
figures, some privileged public figures, intellectuals with strong nationalist
sentiments, conservative party and Soviet workers. Taking into account the
importance of introducing the Latin font for the rapid elimination of illiteracy
among the masses and the facilitation of printing and publishing activities in
Aynur Aliyeva
The formation of a new Soviet Education System in Azerbaijan SSR
70
their native language, the Central Executive Committee of Azerbaijan SSR
legalized the application of the new alphabet in workers' faculties and
second-stage schools at the beginning of 1923 [39, p.442]. On May 19, the
People's Education Commissariat recommended the Baku public education
department to switch the teaching in all schools to the new alphabet. On
October 20, 1923, in accordance with the decree "On the recognition of the
New Azerbaijani alphabet as the state alphabet" adopted by the Central
Executive Committee of Azerbaijan SSR, all departments and organizations
were instructed to conduct clerical work in both the old and the new alphabet.
In March 1925, the 4th All-Azerbaijan Congress of Soviets adopted a number
of directives to implement the new alphabet. The Congress allowed the
transition to the new Azerbaijani alphabet in schools of all stages, decided to
complete the transition to the new alphabet in all 1st and 2nd stage schools
within eight years, i.e., until the 1932/33 academic year, and to conduct
teaching in the old alphabet in the groups that did not switch to the new
alphabet at that time [12, p.2]. In order to spread the alphabet among the
workers, "illiteracy elimination centers" were opened for oil workers, as well
as soldiers and servants in the mines in Gara and Agh Sheher in Baku.
Azerbaijani villagers showed a great interest to the new alphabet. Hundreds
of Azerbaijani villagers eagerly acquired the new alphabet in literacy centers,
night courses and study groups. Only in 1924, 1,320 study groups of the
illiteracy elimination were opened to teach the new alphabet [36, p.52].
Alphabets with the new alphabet font, materials on the rules of writing and
reading in the Azerbaijani language and other resources were published in
large circulation. By October 1925, 32,774 people had learned the new
alphabet and become literate. "Yeni yol" newspaper, published with the new
alphabet, played an important role in the dispute between the supporters of
the new alphabet and its opponents. "Yeni Yol” newspaper was distributed
among thousands of workers and peasants, and promoted the necessity of
switching to the new alphabet among a wide readership. The activities of the
Committee of the New Turkish Alphabet and the successes achieved in the
field of eliminating illiteracy aroused interest among other peoples of the
Soviet Union who used the Arabic alphabet. To discuss the alphabet issue,
the need to convene a congress of Turkic-speaking peoples appeared. The
Committee of the New Turkish Alphabet together with the Society of
Investigation and Study of Azerbaijan decided to convene a Turkological
congress. The government allocated up to 100,000 manats for its holding [33,
p.386]. The congress was opened in February 1926 in Baku, the capital of
Azerbaijan, which was the first in the East to try to replace the Arabic
alphabet with Latin script. The First All-Union Turkological Congress, which
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2024, vol 7, issue 3, serial 27, pp.59-75
71
played a major role in the cultural life of Turkic-speaking peoples, was a
great event. 131 representatives (93 of them Turkic-speaking) participated in
the congress, which lasted from February 26 to March 5 [36, p.386]. Most of
the Turkic-speaking peoples living in the Soviet Union were represented. The
representatives of Azerbaijan were Samadagha Aghamalioghlu, Mustafa
Guliyev, Ahmed Pepinov, Bakir Chobanzade, Ruhulla Akhundov, Panah
Gasimov, Hanafı Zeynalli, Ali Bey Huseynzade, Farhad Aghayev, Jalil
Mammadguluzade, Jabbar Mammadzade, teacher Ayna. Sultanova et al. The
congress discussed the reform of the Arabic alphabet and the adoption of the
Latin alphabet, the formation of national terminology and the literary
language for Turkic-speaking peoples, the teaching methodology of the
native language, country studies, and the orthography of Turkic languages.
The majority of the speakers emphasized the importance of switching to the
Latin alphabet as one of the possible ways to quickly eliminate illiteracy in
the Turkic-speaking peoples and to accustom them to the new culture. On
March 7, 1926, the Committee of the New Turkish Alphabet of Azerbaijan
held a meeting with the representatives of the republics and provinces that
had adopted the new alphabet. At the meeting, it was recommended to
establish a uniform center to regulate this work at the union level. In June
1927, a special commission composed of S.Aghamalioghlu (chairman),
F.Khojayev, M.A.Aytakov and others organized the founding plenum of the
New Turkish Alphabet All-Union Central Committee in Baku. That plenum
adopted the "Regulation on the All-Union Committee for the Implementation
of the New Turkish Alphabet" and defined its rights and powers, goals and
duties. S. Aghamalioghlu, T. Huseynov, M. Guliyev, R. Akhundov and H.
Jabiyev were nominated from Azerbaijan to the All-Union Committee [37,
p.370]. The "Regulation on the All-Union Committee on the Implementation
of the New Alphabet" defining the rights and powers, goals and duties of the
committee was adopted at the plenum []. S. Aghamalioghlu was elected the
chairman of the New Turkish Alphabet All-Union Central Committee, and
his deputies were B. Gulbesherov and D. Korkmasov. At the plenum, a
unified, new, improved alphabet was adopted, which was mandatory for all
peoples of the Soviet Union who had no writing before or used the Arabic
alphabet. In these years, the activities carried out in the field of applying a
new alphabet in Azerbaijan accelerated the solution to the problem of
eliminating illiteracy. During 1920-1927, 53,957 out of 65,607 Azerbaijanis
who eliminated their illiteracy became educated by learning the new alphabet
and 11,650 by acquiring the old alphabet.
Aynur Aliyeva
The formation of a new Soviet Education System in Azerbaijan SSR
72
6.Conclusion
The 20th century took a special place as a productive stage in the
enrichment of Azerbaijani culture, which is an integral part of human culture.
Since this period of history is distinguished by its characteristics, historical
and social conditions, all of these are inevitably culture and left deep mark in
the field of art. The 20th century was remembered as a period of social and
political revolutions and changes in the history of the Azerbaijani people.
Although the social-historical and political changes that have taken place
have their influence on national culture and art, in general, the point of
development. This period can be characterized as a productive stage of
national Enlightenment at the turn of the century.
The militant activities of the forces for the sake of cultural development,
the events they implemented, the work on the organization and formation of
separate fields of culture and art in Azerbaijan gave a very serious impetus to
its revival.
ƏDƏBİYYAT
1. Azərbaycan Respublikas Dövlət Arxivi (ARDA). (n.d.). f. 2475, s. 1, i.
81, v. 47.
2. Azərbaycan Respublikas Dövlət Arxivi (ARDA). (n.d.). f. 411, i. 3, v. 31.
3. Azərbaycan Respublikas Dövlət Arxivi (ARDA). (n.d.). f. 57, s. 1, i. 155,
v. 10.
4. Azərbaycan Respublikas Dövlət Arxivi (ARDA). (n.d.). f. 57, s. 1, i. 288,
v. 9.
5. Azərbaycan Respublikas Dövlət Arxivi (ARDA). (n.d.). f. 57, s. 1, i. 31a,
v. 25.
6. СУ Азербайджана (1920). №5.
7. Azərbaycan Respublikas Dövlət Siyasi Partiyalar və İctimai Hərəkətlər
Arxivi (ARDSPIHA). (n.d.). f. 1, s. 35, i. 110, v. 622.
8. Azərbaycan Respublikas Dövlət Arxivi (ARDA). (n.d.). f. 410, s. 1, i. 3,
v. 20.
9. Azərbaycan Respublikas Dövlət Arxivi (ARDA). (n.d.). f. 57, s. 1, i. 9, v.
15.
10. Azərbaycan Respublikas Dövlət Siyasi Partiyalar və İctimai Hərəkətlər
Arxivi (ARDSPIHA). (n.d.). f. 1, s. 35, i. 115, v. 123.
11. Kommunist qazeti. (1920, August 17).
12. Maarif və mədəniyyət. (1924). №7-8, səh. 2.
13. On Yeni Tarixin Sənədləri Saxlanılan və öyrənilən Rusiya Mərkəzi
(OYTSSÖRM). (n.d.). f. 17, s. 860, i. 249, v. 15.
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2024, vol 7, issue 3, serial 27, pp.59-75
73
14. Rusiya Federasiyası Dövlət Arxivi (RFDA). (n.d.). f. 1318, s. 1, i. 1700,
v. 11.
15. Rusiya Federasiyası Dövlət Arxivi (RFDA). (n.d.). f. 3316, s. 21, i. 671,
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16. Народное просвещение (1920). №2, стр. 11-12.
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The formation of a new Soviet Education System in Azerbaijan SSR
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