By Dr. Qazim Namani
After the occupation of Kosovo by the Ottoman Empire, the spread of education in these regions began with the aim of educating and assimilating other conquered communities.
Among the first schools to be opened in Kosovo were Mejtepet , in these schools reading and reciting the Quran, writing Arabic letters were taught. Madrasahs were secondary and higher schools for the education of Islamic clerics. One such school in Prizren was opened by the poet and historian Suzi from Prizren in 1531. [1] In the 16th century, several Madrasahs were also opened in the territory of present-day Kosovo: in Prishtina, the Madrasah of Haxhi Ali was opened, in Peja by Besharet Bey, in Prizren by Mehmet Pasha as the first higher theological school in Kosovo. [2]
Iptidadia was a Turkish state primary school. These schools were developed from the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. In “Kosova Vilayeti Salnamesi” it is written that in 1900/01 there were five iptidai and twelve sibiyan-mejtepe (children’s schools). [3] In these schools, in addition to religious subjects, secular subjects were also taught. The teachers were muelims with normal schooling. [4]
Ruzhdia were lower secondary schools. By 1854, there were only 60 schools in the entire Ottoman Empire with 3,371 students. With the decree on public schools of 1869, all the Ruzhdia in Turkey were under state supervision. The oldest Ruzhdia in Kosovo was that of Pristina (1869) and by 1878 there were 7 Ruzhdia in Kosovo. [5]
Idadia , was an Islamic boarding school at the level of high schools, which was established by the Turkish decree of 1869 for schools. After 1908, these incomplete schools were opened in Prishtina and Prizren. [6]
Durul-mualimin – normal schools, opened after 1869, had several classes in Prizren.
The Sultanate was an imperial school, this school existed only in the centers of some vilayets. [7]
In Kosovo, there were also schools for various professions in the Turkish language, called “Islahanet.” In Mitrovica, there was a women’s craft school.
Catholic missionaries – After the Ottoman conquest, Catholic missionaries had high theological training completed in Italy. Albanian missionaries, in addition to translating many theological works, also wrote works in Albanian for pedagogical needs. The Missal of Gjon Buzuku (1555), today is preserved as the oldest book in the Albanian language. Then stand out: Pjetër Budi, Frang Bardhi, Andrea Bogdani, Gjon Nikoll Kazazi, etc. Pjetër Budi had translated “ The Christian Science of Bellarmine ” into Albanian… because Albanian is also spoken in Serbia. [8] In 1716, the Italian missionary Francesco Mario da Lece published the grammar “Grammatical Notes in the Albanian Language”. [9]
In 1750, the school in Voskopoj was named the “Academy of Voskopoj”, and the merit for the education of Albanians goes especially to Theodor Kavalioti, then Danil Voskopojari and many others who established the foundations of education in the spirit of European enlightenment for the Albanian community and others for a national renaissance of the peoples of the Balkans. Voskopoj constitutes a more meaningful example of the cultural emancipation of the populations of this area. [10] In the 18th century, Albanian writers under the influence of foreign languages used the alphabets of the languages they wrote, for example, the bejtegjint such as: Nezim Beratasi, Hasan Zyko Kamberi, Muhamet Çami-Kyqyku etc. used the Arabic alphabet. Theodor Kavalioti, Daniel Haxhiu etc. used the Greek alphabet. At the beginning of the 19th century, Albanian education was very low, they did not have books or even an alphabet in the Albanian language. [11]
The educational reforms announced by the “ Hatisherif of Gülhane ” on 3.11.1839 during the reign of Sultan Abdyl Mexhid, which recommended the opening of schools for all citizens of the Turkish state. These reforms and legal provisions called “ Tanzimat Hajrije ”, in the Vilayet of Kosovo progressed slowly. In 1856 Sultan Abdyl Mexhid issued a new act called “ Hatihumayun ” which equalized Muslims with non-Muslims in the field of education. In 1869, the “ Education Law ” was drafted, which influenced the development of state schools.
During this period, P. Osman allowed the opening of schools in the Serbian language in the Albanian territories of the north.
The 1876 Constitution of the Ottoman Empire, in Article 15, states that education is free and Turkish is recognized as the state language.
After the coming to power of John the Turks in 1908, they, having strengthened their positions, began to prevent schools in the native languages. The law of 25 February 1912 provided for the modernization of the educational process, where education councils were formed in each Vilayet, Sandzak and Kaza. [12]
In the second half of the 19th century, the first Albanian renaissance people played a major role in Albanian culture and education, and especially the Arbëresh of Italy made an extraordinary contribution. Among the Albanians who worked for the teaching of the Albanian language at this time, the following stand out: Naum Veqilharxhi, Konstandin Kristoforidhi, Jeronim De Rada, Santori Dara i Riu, Kamarda, Hasan Tahsini, Sami Frashëri, Vaso Pash Shkodrani, Zef Jubani, Jani Vreto, Koto Hoxhi, etc.
In 1877, the Istanbul committee was formed, which also included teaching in the Albanian language in its program. For this purpose, in 1879, the “ Society of Albanian Letter Printing ” was founded in Istanbul, which formed the commission for the Albanian alphabet according to the project of Sami Frashëri. Cultural-educational societies founded in exile also played a role, notably those in Bucharest, Istanbul and other places, and finally the will and energetic demand of the people for Albanian schools.
In 1887, on March 7, the first secular school in the Albanian language was opened in Korça. The opening of this school also influenced other Albanian territories. On May 1, 1889, the National School of Prizren began its work . On October 23, 1891, the Albanian school for girls was opened in Korça, a year later the schools began operating in several villages. On May 10, 1892, the first Albanian-Romanian normal school was founded in Bucharest. [13]
This influenced the opening of Albanian schools in Kosovo as well, such as: Prizren, Zym, Gjakova, Gjilan, Peja, Janjev, Stublël të Gjilani, Mitrovica, etc. Until the unification of the Albanian language alphabet at the Congress of Manastir held in 1908, other alphabets were used, such as: the alphabet of the first Albanian writers, the alphabet with Latin, Greek, Arabic letters, the alphabet of Naum Veqilharxhi, of the ” Albania ” Society of Bucharest, etc.
Until the Congress of Manastir, various Albanian committees, societies and clubs operated and corresponded with different alphabets. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, new committees, societies and clubs were formed such as: “ Dëshira ” in Sofia (1890), “ Vëllazëria e Shqiptarëve ” in Alexandria (1894), “ Bashkimi ” and “ Agimi ” in Shkodër (1889, respectively 1901), “ Shërcija Kombëtare Shqiptare ” in Calabria (1897), “ Kombëtare Komiteti Shqiptare ” in Rome (1900), “ Dija ” in Vienna (1905), “ Kombi ” in Boston (1905), “ Mall i Mëmëdheut ” in Buffalo, USA (1906), “ Besa Besë ” in Boston (1907). [14]
From 1848, when the notebook ” Arbreshi i Italiës” by Jeronim De Rada was published, until 1912, around 50 political and cultural periodicals and newspapers were published. [15]
As teachers at this time, it is worth highlighting Konstantin Kristoforidhi, Papa Kristo Negovani, Pandeli Sotiri, Parashqevi Qirijazi, Tina e Nikës, Urani Rumbo, Gjerasim Qiriazi, Luigj Gurakuqi, Mati Logareci worked as a teacher in Prizren, Sotir Peci, etc.
The Christian Albanians, those who depended on the church of Rome and Austria, spoke no other language than Albanian. In the 19th century, priests were distributed in the Vilayet of Shkodra and were written in Albanian with Latin letters. Books in Albanian were also distributed in the south. [16] At this time, Hasan Prishtina and Myfit Bey of Gjirokastra were very active in teaching in Albanian, who went from village to village to send students to the private pedagogical school in Elbasan. The Turkish government at this time sent books in Albanian for primary schools, but with Arabic letters. [17]
With donations collected by Hasan Prishtina, an Albanian school was built in Pozharan, Viti, which began operating in 1909 (October) and lasted until the beginning of 1910, and the first teacher was Qamil Bala from the Gjilan region. [18] Islam Pira also contributed to the opening of this school. Haxhi Zeka, president of the Peja League, built an Albanian school in Peja and called an assembly in Fushë Kosovë for the use of the Albanian language in schools throughout the Vilayet of Kosovo.
Teachers and tests for the Albanian school in Kosovo were provided by Hasan Prishtina, Bajram Curri, Nexhip Draga, Isa Boletini, who, although he did not have a school, opened the Albanian school in Koshtovë in 1902, then Jashar Erebara opened branches of Albanian clubs in Prishtina and Podujevë, supported the Albanian school and in 1911 published a primer in the Albanian language.
Among the teachers who acted and worked in Kosovo were: Ivan Berisha, Father Shtjefën Gjeçovi, Pal Gjergja from Zara, Pashk Prelaj, Lazër Lumezi, Qamil Dula, Pal Qurqiaj, Marjan Prelaj, Ndue Lezhaj, Frano Lufi, Mikel Tarabulluzi, Luigj Kroniqi, Mëhill Kurti, Ndue Bytyqi, Engjëll Ndocaj, Gaspër Gjugjaj. [19]
After the Young Turk movement, Albanians opened schools, clubs and other activities for the teaching of their native language. The Young Turks, against the Albanian language and school, had engaged the entire fanatical Muslim clergy and part of the landlords.
The Young Turks were also supported by the ” Serbian People’s Organization “, founded in Skopje in 1908. The Metropolitanate of Skopje signed the decision of the Administrative Council of the Vilayet of Kosovo, rejecting the Latin alphabet. Greece and the Patriarchate of Istanbul declared against the Albanian alphabet. [20]
Sources
[1] Dr. Hasan Kaleshi, “The oldest documents of endowments in Yugoslavia in Arabic”, Prishtina,
1972, p. 14
[2] Mehmed Tevfik, “A Brief History of the Bitolsk Vilayet”, Belgrade, 1933, p.27
[3] Kosovo “Vilayeti Salmanesi, 1900”, pg. 743
[4] Kosovo Academy of Arts and Sciences, Jashar Rexhepagić, “Selected Topics and
Contemporary Pedagogical”, published by Libri Shkollor, Prishtina 2002, p. 621
[5] Ibid., p. 622
[6] Ibid., p. 630
[7] Ibid. p. 632
[8] Ibid., p. 614
[9] Rexhep Ismaili, “Language and ethnicity”, Rilindja, Prishtina, 1991, p.189
[10] Max Demeter Peyfuss, “The Voskopoja Printing House 1731-1769”, translated by Gjergj Misha,
Tirana, 1996, p. 9
[11] Ferdinand Schevill, “Balkan history and civilization”, Tirana 2002, p. 377
[12] Dr. Jashar Rexhepagiqi, Institute of History of Kosovo, “Kosova”, Prishtina, 1972, pp. 110,111
[13] A.SH.AK Jashar Rexhepagiqi, “Selected and Contemporary Pedagogical Topics”, Prishtina,
2002, pp. 586-594
[14] Mr. Mehmet Gjoshaj, “100th Anniversary of the Monastery Congress”, Thematic Exhibition, Prishtina, 2008,
p. 4
[15] Ibid., p. 25
[16] Sylejman Kylqe, “Albania in Ottoman History”, Tirana, 2004, pp. 207, 208
[17] Ibid. Pg. 208
[18] DTK Archive at MCYS
[19] A.SH.AK Jashar Rexhepagiqi, “Selected and Contemporary Pedagogical Topics”, Pristina
2002, pp. 381-616
[20] Mr. Mehmet Gjoshaj, “100th Anniversary of the Monastery Congress”, Thematic Exhibition, Prishtina, 2008. p 49.
