Islahhâne (craft school)

In addition to the idadiyeh, near the Islahane Park, a crafting school known as Islahana was opened in 1897 (according to Bogojevic, 1896). Salih Asim, the then mayor, following the Ottoman provision stating that schools of this type were to be opened in larger cities, built this following the example of such schools in Nis (founded by Midhat Pasha), Sofia, Istanbul, Halep and Thessaloniki. In honor of Sultan Abdulhamid, the school was originally called Hamidiye, and was later renamed after the famous Kosovo Wali Hafiz Mehmed Pasha, who played a major role in providing funding for its construction, demonstrating that the wali was deeply interested in the education in Skopje. Orphans were taken care of and educated in the Islahana. The education lasted 5 years. In addition to classrooms, canteens and bedrooms, the school building offered a printing room, a hammam, and a masjid. Students were 10 to 14 years old. Advantage was given to orphans and poor children. Wealthier parents paid tuition fees for their children. Children of different ethnic and religious backgrounds were accepted. Several types of crafts were taught, such as sewing, shoemaking, carpentry, printing, woodcarving and lithography. There was a school orchestra too. Every Friday and Sunday the school orchestra had 2 hours long public performances, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m in the Islahane Park.