Abstract
The article is devoted to a factual analysis of the history of the activities of the colonial authorities in reforming the education system in the Turkestan region. After the completion of the occupation in the region, the colonial authorities faced such problems as strengthening the border; creating conditions for Russian settlers; a sharp increase in cotton production; establishing the political stability of the local Muslim population; reforming the education system. Among these problems, the article presents a historiographical and factual analysis of attempts to form the colonial education system. The education policy of the authorities, which served the imperial interests, was to displace the traditional education system in the region. It was suggested that traditional educational institutions were excluded from government support due to the fact that the authorities adhered to the principle of «neglect» in relation to Islam and religious schools. The modernized forms of education in the region of Russian-foreign schools have replaced the traditional ones. An analysis of the experience of reform changes implemented by the educational policy of the colonial authorities showed that the modernization of the education system was subordinated to the imperial interest. It was concluded that the educational activity of the jadit movement formed in the region was presented as an alternative to the colonial educational reforms. In addition, data on the impact of Jadid ideas on educational activities in the south of Kazakhstan were analyzed.