Abstract:

In the Ottoman Empire, the primary level schools had been called “Sıbyan Mektebi”. Although those schools could meet the needs at the first periods of the Ottoman Empire, they couldn't keep pace with the changing situations. Sıbyan schools had undergone major changes especially since 1870s. New regulations had been made because of the Maarif-i Umumiye Regulation accepted in 1869; thus, new curriculums were designed. At those curriculums, courses such as history, geography, calculation, sarf-ı Osmani, orthography, reading and calligraphy were added, and subjects of the courses were included as well as the explanation of the courses. Thus, it is possible to qualify those curriculums as first detailed primary curriculums. In accordance with the Act of Tedrisat-ı İptidaiye, courses such as handicrafts-art, music, physical education, health education were put into the 1913-1914 curriculums for the first time. In the early years of the Republic, a different mission was assigned to the primary education; it was aimed to educate citizens who were appropriate for the qualifications of the Republic. Accordingly, curriculums were designed in 1924, 1926 and 1936. The curriculum prepared in 1924 was a transitional one. The 1926’s curriculum was the first one that had been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Republic. In the content of that curriculum, courses such as social sciences and civics were added into the curriculum, and significant changes were made in the contents of the courses. As for 1936, after the inclusion of the principles of the CHP, the curriculum then had a different content. It is possible to tell that generally periodical political and social characters and needs shaped the preparation of the primary curriculums from the latest periods of the Ottoman Empire and the first years of the Turkish Republic. In this study, it has been aimed to reveal what kind of changes and needs as well as the Republic directed the primary education reforms that started in the last periods of the Ottomans and how they were reflected in the curriculums.

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