Maktab

Maktab (Arabic: مكتب‎) (other transliterations include mekteb, mektep, meqteb, maqtab), also called kuttab (Arabic: “school”), is an Arabic word meaning elementary schools. Though it was primarily used for teaching children in reading, writing, grammar and Islamic subjects (such as Qur'an recitations), other practical and theoretical subjects were also often taught. Until the 20th century, maktabs were the only means of mass education in much of the Islamic world.