In the early 19th century, following the occupation of Northern Azerbaijan by Russia, the tsarist government set about creating an education system in the country that would meet its economic and political interests. On August 2, 1829, the “Regulations on the Transcaucasian Schools” were approved, which marked the beginning of the creation of primary state schools. Although this served the goals of the empire, the creation of a European-type secular school in Azerbaijan was a progressive event. The history of the public education system in Azerbaijan begins with this Regulation.

The activities of the newly formed district schools were aimed at training personnel for the further management of the South Caucasus. According to the Regulation, the opening of schools in the cities of Ganja, Shusha, Nukha (Sheki), Shamakhi, Guba, Baku, Iravan, Nakhchivan and Ordubad and in the Gazakh distance (administrative-territorial unit that existed in the Russian Empire) was approved. The curriculum of the district schools, which consisted of two classes, included Islamic law - Sharia, reading, calligraphy, arithmetic, Russian and Azerbaijani languages. The annual expenses of each county school were paid from the state treasury. Each of the two-class district schools was supposed to have two teachers. The school also had a Sharia teacher.

On January 17, 1832, the first educational institution - a two-year secular school was opened in Baku. According to the information of 1834, there were only 22 students and 2 teachers in this school. On May 12, 1835, a new Regulation on the Transcaucasian Schools was approved. The number of classes was increased to three, the first class was considered preparatory. Sharia, Russian grammar, geography, history, elementary courses in arithmetic and geometry, local languages, calligraphy, drawing and drafting were taught in the two senior classes. Local languages were taught in grades II-III. The Azerbaijani language was also considered a compulsory subject for Russians. Despite the fact that the county schools were financed from the treasury, the local population either helped the school financially, collecting money to rent the building, or allocated land for the construction of the school building. Unlike traditional schools (mollakhana - a school attached to a mosque), new methods are used in district schools, secular sciences are taught, and the teaching of the alphabet is based on the sound method. There was a separate library room in the Baku district school.

According to the "Caucasian calendar" of 1846, in 1845 there were 5 teachers and 56 students in the Baku district school. The library of the Baku district school contained 746 books - several times more than in any other district school of the Transcaucasian region.

After the earthquake in Shamakhi in 1859, the centre of the province was moved to the city of Baku. The Shamakhi higher primary school was transferred to Baku, also the Baku district school was moved to Shamakhi and was named the Shamakhi district school. 
 

Recommended literature:

1. Azərbaycan Milli Ensiklopediyası. C.3. “Azərbaycan Milli Ensiklopediyası” Elmi Mərkəzi. Bakı, 2011. 604 səh. 
2. Əhmədov, Hüseyn Mustafa oğlu.  Seçilmiş pedaqoji əsərləri : 12 cilddə / H. M. Əhmədov ; Azərbaycan Beynəlxalq Universiteti. IV cild : XIX əsr Azərbaycan məktəbi / elmi red.: Ə. Ə. Ağayev, A. Bayramoğlu. - Bakı : Təhsil : ABU, 2006. - 580 s.
3. Mərdanov, Misir Cumayıl oğlu. Azərbaycan təhsil tarixi / M. C. Mərdanov ; elmi red. F. A. Rüstəmov. I cild / elmi red. F. A. Rüstəmov. - Bakı : Təhsil, 2011. - 296 s.