The Russian Empire and Primary Education: The Number of School-Age Children and the Number of Students as of January 1, 1915 (A Case Study of the Asian Part of the Country)

The article analyzes the state of primary education in the Asian part of the Russian Empire as of January 1, 1915, based on archival materials from the Russian State Historical Archive.The focus is on the correlation between the total number of school-age children (8-11 years old) and the number of pupils enrolled in primary schools across 23 administrative units of Siberia, the Far East, the Steppe Region, Central Asia, and Transcaucasia.Using statistical data, the study identifies regional differences in the level of primary school enrollment and determines the percentage of enrolled pupils relative to the total number of children of the corresponding age group.The research shows that out of more than 2.2 million school-age children in the Asian part of the empire, approximately 550,000 were enrolled in schools, which accounted for about 25 percent.The highest level of enrollment was recorded in the Amur Region, while the lowest was observed in the Fergana Region.The author analyzes the factors influencing these disparities, including geographical remoteness, population density, specific features of colonial policy, and the degree of integration of the regions into the imperial administrative and educational system.The study refines our understanding of the scope and limitations of educational modernization in the eastern peripheries of the Russian Empire on the eve of the revolutionary events.