UZEYIR HAJIBEYLI’S VIEWS ON EDUCATION, SCHOOLING, AND MOTHER TONGUE INSTRUCTION

In addition to being the founder of Azerbaijan’s national opera and a distinguished composer, Uzeyir Hajibeyli was a prominent figure in the country’s public and pedagogical discourse. As a practicing educator, he played a significant role in the development of education, schooling, and civil society, firmly advocating for the establishment of mother tongue–based schools as a catalyst for national progress. He actively supported and promoted this cause. Through his journalistic writings published in the progressive press of his time, Hajibeyli conveyed his pedagogical perspectives to the broader public, emphasizing the proper organization of teaching and upbringing as essential for the nation’s advancement. In numerous feuilletons, he sharply criticized shortcomings in the education system. As a patriotic intellectual, Uzeyir Bey placed great importance on mother tongue instruction as the cornerstone of school education and played an indispensable role in nurturing a national spirit among the younger generation. He also outlined essential criteria for textbooks and teaching materials, asserting that they should be developmentally enriching, morally formative, nationally relevant, clearly written, and supplemented with illustrative content. The pedagogical views of this renowned cultural figure remain relevant today. This article highlights and analyzes some of his most significant ideas and contributions to education.