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Public Education Among Turks in Bulgaria

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The Reality of Turkish Schools

It is surprising to learn that some Turkish girls do attend school, which challenges the common belief that Turks never send their daughters to school. However, it is important to note that many schools called “Turkish schools” are only Turkish in name. The teaching staff often consists of ignorant teachers, called “hodjas,” and even less knowledgeable “kadines,” who focus mostly on teaching prayers. Although the school programs include subjects such as Bulgarian, Turkish, and arithmetic, the instruction is very limited. Therefore, it is risky to draw conclusions about the education of the Muslim population in Bulgaria simply from the number of schools, teachers, or students Customised Private Istanbul Tour.

Children Eligible for Primary Education

According to the 1900 census, there

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Public Instruction in Bulgaria

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Overall Gender Proportion

In Bulgaria during the school year 1903–1904, there were approximately 54 girls for every 100 boys in all schools. This means that 68% of the students were boys, while 32% were girls. Although boys attended school more frequently than girls, female education was gradually improving, especially in urban areas.

Gender Proportion by Nationality

The proportion of girls to boys varied depending on the nationality and type of school. For every 100 boys, the number of girls in each type of school was:

Bulgarian national schools: 50.35 girls

Bulgarian private schools: 40.62 girls

Bulgarian Mahommedan schools: 40.60 girls

Bulgarian Catholic schools: 79.63 girls

Bulgarian Protestant schools: 92.30 girls

Bulgarian Turkish schools: 84.76 girls

Bulgarian Greek schools: 52.70 girls

Bulgarian Jewish schools:

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Public Instruction in Bulgaria

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Proportion of Boys and Girls

In Bulgaria during the school year 1903–1904, the total number of students showed a significant difference between boys and girls.

Overall, there were approximately 54 girls for every 100 boys. In percentage terms, 68% of students were boys and 32% were girls. This shows that boys attended school more frequently than girls, although girls’ education was steadily improving.

Proportion by Nationality

The ratio of girls to boys varied significantly across different nationalities and types of schools:

Bulgarian national schools: 50.35 girls per 100 boys

Bulgarian private schools: 40.62 girls per 100 boys

Bulgarian Mahommedan schools: 40.60 girls per 100 boys

Bulgarian Catholic schools: 79.63 girls per 100 boys

Bulgarian Protestant schools: 92.30 girls per 100 boys

Bulgarian Turkish schools: 84.76 girls

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Primary Schools and Population in Bulgaria

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Distribution of Schools

The statistical tables for the school year 1903-1904 show that almost all schools of the different nationalities in Bulgaria were mixed schools, including those of the Mahommedans and Tartars.

Of all the schools in Bulgaria, 75.27% were Bulgarian—this includes national, private, Protestant, Catholic, and Mahommedan schools. The remaining 24.73% belonged to other nationalities, such as Turkish, Greek, Jewish, French, German, Armenian, Roumanian, and Lipovane.

Schools Compared to Population

According to the census of January 1, 1901, the Principality of Bulgaria had a total population of 3,744,283, with 1,909,567 males and 1,834,716 females.

During the school year 1903-1904, there were 4,344 schools, which means there was approximately one school for every 862 people Customised Private

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Primary Schools in Bulgaria

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Number of Schools

During the school year 1903-1904, there were 4,344 primary schools in Bulgaria for children of both sexes. Among these schools:

118 schools (2.72%) were for boys only,

35 schools (0.8%) were for girls only, and

4,191 schools (94.48%) were mixed, teaching both boys and girls.

These schools were distributed among different nationalities in the Principality as follows:

Nationality Boys’ Schools Girls’ Schools Mixed Schools Total Schools
Bulgarian national 67 4 2,989 3,060
Bulgarian private 4 — 71 75
Bulgarian Catholic — — 3 3
Bulgarian Protestant — — 20 20
Bulgarian Mahommedan — — 22 22
Turkish 27 15 915 957
Greek 11 7 35 53
Jewish 5 4 23 32
Armenian — — 9 9
French 2 5 2 9
Tartar — — 8 8
German 1 — 2 3
Roumanian — — 2 2
Lipovane — — X X
Bulgarian Private Schools

The 75 B

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Foreign Schools in Bulgaria

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Foreign subjects are allowed to open schools in Bulgaria only for children of foreign residents, provided they notify the Ministry of Public Instruction through the departmental educational inspectorate. They must supply full information about the organization of their school, including its curriculum, teachers, and facilities.

The official Bulgarian curriculum is not mandatory for foreign schools, except when they choose to admit Bulgarian children. In that case, they must follow the official curriculum and use Bulgarian as the teaching language (Article 216). Foreigners may also establish schools for languages, vocational training, or fine arts, even when the students are Bulgarians (Article 217).

This regulation allows foreign communities to maintain their own educational traditions while ensuring that Bulgarian children receive instruction consistent with national laws.

Infant Schools in 1903-1904

During the scho

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Educational Committees in Towns and Villages

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Article 21 of the Law of 1891 provides for the establishment of an educational committee in every town and village. These committees act as a special committee of the communal councils and are responsible for managing the educational work in their areas.

The composition of the committees is as follows:

In towns five members

In villages three members

The mayor of the town or village serves as the president of the committee by right, while the other members are elected by universal suffrage and secret ballot, at the same time as the municipal council elections.

Duties of Educational Committees

The educational committees have the following responsibilities:

Appoint Teachers – They select qualified teachers for the primary schools.

Maintain Schools – They provide the necessary funds and resources to keep the schools running.

Assist Poor Students – They ensure that c

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Duties of the Departmental Educational Council

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The departmental educational council plays a very important role in Bulgaria’s education system. The Law on Public Instruction defines its duties as follows:

Uniform Application of Laws – The council ensures that educational laws and regulations are applied consistently across the entire department.

Resolving Disputes – It examines and resolves disputes that may arise between educational committees, parish councils, and teachers.

Reviewing Teacher Discipline – The council reviews disciplinary actions taken against teachers to ensure fairness.

Punishment for Violations – It punishes parents or teachers who break rules regarding mandatory attendance in primary schools.

Opening New Schools – The council considers proposals for new schools and examines other matters affecting education in the department.

All decisions made by the departmental educational councils are submitted to the Minister of Public Instruction.

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Examination for District Inspectors

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The examination for district school inspectors consists of two parts: oral and written.

The oral test includes questions about teaching methods, education principles, and educational administration.

The written test focuses on pedagogical science, teaching methods, the subjects taught in primary schools, school inspections, the application of the Law of Public Instruction, school regulations, and relevant educational literature.

These tests ensure that inspectors are fully prepared to supervise schools and support teachers effectively.

Classes and Salaries of District Inspectors

District inspectors are divided into three classes based on seniority:

First class: 2,620 francs per year

Second class: 2,400 francs per year

Third class: 2,136 francs per year

All inspectors also receive 480 francs annually for travel expenses.

Duties and S

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School Inspectors and Educational Districts

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The law on school inspection for primary and secondary schools, first passed in 1889 and amended in 1901 and 1907, organizes Bulgaria’s education system into twelve school departments. These departments correspond to the twelve administrative departments of the Principality.

Each school department is further divided into fifty school districts. Some educational districts cover two administrative districts, while others cover only one. The law also allows the creation of additional educational sub-districts whenever needed, giving the Ministry of Public Instruction the flexibility to establish a school inspectorate in every district Customized Tours Istanbul.

Departmental School Inspectors

At the head of each school department, there is a departmental school inspector. These positions are filled by former hig

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