Chapter 413: Dual-Track Middle School
After talking about naval matters, everything mainly depended on Archduke Ferdinand, the one in charge of the Navy, to carry it out, while Constantino would coordinate resources.
Ernst, however, needed to preside over the upcoming government education meeting, because the first cohort of East African elementary-school students had graduated, and the establishment of public middle schools was now on the agenda.
Minister of Education Daikehraaf:
"Our East Africa has basically completed universal primary education, and our first cohort of students has also graduated. This is good news for the Kingdom. However, compared to other countries around the world, our education system isn't complete—especially the advanced part. That means that unless a student excels and is selected by the state for further study, we have no plan for the others. Figuring out what happens to the remaining students is a key issue."
Ernst:
"Middle school differs from elementary school and requires higher-level teachers. For now, we can't fully staff all the posts, so we'll need a few years. That means both teachers and students must endure some difficulties: we'll gather students in towns or cities for boarding schools. Meanwhile, instead of the small-class setup used in elementary school, we'll switch to large classes. After a few years—when teachers aren't so scarce—we can switch back."
Essentially, it's like Ernst's own childhood experience in a rural area, where there was a primary school in nearly every village, but a middle school only in bigger towns. East Africa had completed universal primary education in nearly every settlement, but you couldn't do the same for middle schools.
This was partly Ernst's doing. In the early days, he directed resources toward the army and government. As a result, the intellectuals Hechingen trained were mostly "fast-track," enough for basic schooling but not for teaching at the middle-school level. They'd need at least a few years to meet the knowledge requirements.
In this era, middle schools weren't divided into "junior high" and "senior high" as they are today. Around the mid-19th century, Europe was only beginning to see something akin to high school, generally a college-prep course.
Ernst also didn't plan on establishing a "high school" system. A second track wasn't needed. So the middle school's curriculum would be extended to cover the same content, letting students proceed smoothly into European universities.
Ernst added:
"Middle-school education can't be as casual as elementary. We might fool ourselves, but European universities won't be so lenient about taking students with slipshod backgrounds. For middle school, we need stricter management and deeper academic study—particularly in cultural subjects. We'll also do a placement exam after primary school. The top 20% go to a liberal-arts-oriented secondary school, while the others attend a practical-arts secondary school."
Here, "liberal-arts secondary school" is somewhat like combining junior and senior high, while "practical-arts secondary school" is more like a technical institute. At present, European universities don't accept graduates from practical institutes. Still, in this era, even enrolling in the practical track wouldn't be for ordinary families.
And Ernst, who had experienced nine years of compulsory education in his previous life, wanted East Africa to go straight to a combined approach, making middle school part of universal compulsory education as well.
Ernst summed it up:
"Essentially, our compulsory education will be two-stage. First, a universal elementary school program for all East African children—five years in length. Then a dual-track middle school program, also universal. But the difference is that top performers train for future university, and average students train for society. The middle-school program is also five years."
Putting academically average kids into the workforce at about 17 wasn't because Ernst disregarded education, but it was the practical reality of this era.
Take Belgium as an example: in 1842, 1% of that cotton mill's workforce was made up of child laborers aged 5–9; by 1879, that figure was 9%. Among older child laborers aged 10–14, it was 34% by 1859.
Belgium might be special, since Leopold II reigned there. Meanwhile, under Britain's industrial expansion, they used child labor in factories and mines as well. Prussia was slightly different. Although it carried out universal education—intending for children of school age to attend classes—its original motive was peculiar: because employing child workers in factories reduced the future pool for the army, Prussia launched the world's first modern worker-protection law, forbidding work for children under 10 and capping hours at 16 for those under 16. It aligned with Prussian militarism but nonetheless produced a positive outcome.
East Africa's children were relatively lucky. From the colonial era onward, the East African Kingdom had strict laws prohibiting labor for children under 7, and mandatory schooling for those 7 or older.
With primary school lasting five years, they'd be at least 12 upon graduation. The brightest or those completing early could be nominated by their teacher for the Kingdom's biannual "special recruitment exam," possibly going abroad to study in Europe ahead of schedule.
Hence the first official batch of East African overseas students was 500, although 43 people had already gone abroad from a special early-admission track. They were so-called "geniuses." Out of the 862 graduates left, 317 went directly to the Hechingen Military Academy.
The rest, for reasons such as physical fitness or their being female, couldn't get into the Military Academy, so they stayed at First Town's elementary schools until the new middle schools opened there. They'd enroll in liberal-arts programs, a special arrangement for a special time.
In total, East Africa's first cohort of elementary graduates numbered 1,405. That's the entire Kingdom.
It's not surprising. East Africa generally screened immigrants in the Far East. Those under 15 couldn't migrate alone (unless with family). And the crossing by sea was harsh.
But that will change drastically as time passes. With more immigrants coming and birth rates rising, East Africa's schools may soon overflow.
Once kids graduated from the new five-year middle school, they'd be about 17. Ernst felt that age was suitable. They had reached adulthood under the Kingdom's care; from then on, the Kingdom's done its duty.
Ernst continued:
"Essentially, our middle-school system is still 'education for the poor.' Having a single uniform exam will inevitably reduce variety. Still, we mustn't overlook those who excel in just one subject but are poor in others. The government should specially assess them—let them take a one-subject national exam so we can pick them out and place them in specialized schools, likely built in cities or major towns, to encourage such talented individuals."
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Canserbero10