Paper short abstract:

Mirzo Sirojiddin is a prominent Tajik educator and writer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His name is on a par with outstanding educators such as Ahmad Danish, Sadriddin Aini . He proposed to radically transform the education system according to the type of European universities.

Paper long abstract:

Mirzo Sirojiddin Hakim (1877 - 1914) is a prominent Tajik educator, writer and publicist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He made a great contribution to the development of science and education in Central Asia. His name is on a par with outstanding educators and intellectuals of the era, such as Ahmad Danish, Fitrat, Sadriddin Aini, Behbudi, Ajzi, and others. The main source of information about his educational activities is his essay “Offering to the Bukhara people” (Safarnoma) (Tӯҳafi aҳli Bukhoro), published in 1328/1910. In it he describes his journey through the countries of Europe and the Middle East. Mirzo Sirojiddin visits such cities as Sofia, Belgrade, Budapest, Vienna, Berlin, Paris and London.

In his book the scientist describes not only his impressions and admiration for the economic and cultural development of European cities, the progress of science and technology, but also compares it with his homeland - Bukhara. He bitterly notes the backwardness of Asia from Europe. Walking around Paris, he recalled his homeland, beggarly life, ignorance and the general illiteracy his people, its backwardness from the civilized world. He saw the main cause of backwardness and poverty in the backward political regime, in the methods of education and training, as well as in laziness and lack of education of young people.

Mirzo Siroj spoke on several eastern and western languages. In addition to his native Farsi-Tajik language, he was fluent in Arabic, Uzbek, Russian, Turkey, and French.

To correct and reform the education system, Mirzo Sirojiddin proposes, instead of old schools to open new secular schools and study new modern sciences. For example, he refers to the experience of Germany, where function such institutes as the institute of military affairs, diplomacy, medicine, industry etc. Thanks to these sciences, Europeans have reached a high level of development in the field of science and technology, while his compatriots are still they do not even know and have not heard the names of these sciences and institutions. He is not limited to enumerating the academic disciplines taught in European schools, but also proposes to radically change his country's curriculum on model of the University of Berlin.

Thus, in his educational activities, he proposed to radically transform the education system according to the type of European universities.