Medreses

The medreses are an important feature of the Ottoman culture. Until the establishment of the state education system in 1773, and the establishment of the first modern schools, the Muslims in the Ottoman Empire were educated in the traditional religious schools - medreses. The medreses were religious educational institutions, mostly built near mosques as donations. The medreses provided religious education throughout the Empire, crucial to any official in a theocratic state such as the Ottoman Empire. The kuttabs and madrassas, along with cell schools, were the only source of education for a long period of time. With the formation of secular schools in the XIX century, the educational reforms, and the creation of new job position, but also as a result of the abandonment and the economic collapse of the Waqfs, they were almost completely shut down by 1912. According to Salname for the Prizren Province in 1874/75, there were 10 primary schools (sıbyân), 1 rüşdiye (military gymnasium)and 8 medreses functioning in Skopje. In 1897/98, 8 medreses which were locate in the mosques: Gazi Mustafa-pasha, Yahiya-pasha, Gazi Isa-bey, Ishak Bey, Jelen Kapan, Kebir Mehmed Chelebi, and near Yeni Amam functioned.