by Max Barry

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Education

Overview

Pax Aurea considers primary education to be among the most basic human rights. All citizens of the Commonwealth are expected to finish at least their primary education that consists of classes I–IX. In general, the culture also admires and respects highly educated individuals. In the budget plan for 2012, Pax Aurea dedicated 28% of its budget to education. Most Aureans go to elementary school at the age of six or seven. Primary, secondary, and academic education is free -- there are no tuition fees except in private schools.

Information Age Education

"So what? Money is not an issue." This quote spread like wildfire and later became a well-known internet meme for many an Aurean in 2007 when Minister of Education Claudia Tabericus cast her hasty comment to a pestering reporter. The original question had regarded the high costs of the proposed educational overhaul program Schola Electrica were being debated. Since then, the famous tautology had been combined with thousands of images, videos, and the like (ad nauseam), and many have forgotten what it was all about in the first place: a government plan to ensure that each primary and secondary school would be equipped with up-to-date computer technology by 2012. Minister Tabericus's statement summarized the government's view rather well: for a very long time, superb education has been considered as the cornerstone of the Aurean society.

Despite the obvious costs, the program has proceeded as planned. Five out of six Aurean elementary schools, high schools, and vocational schools have moved from "traditional" teaching methods -- chalkboards and overhead projectors -- to web courses, tablet computers, interactive learning environments, etc. The schools are required to have fast w-lan stations, and up-to-date hardware and software (mostly OpenSource due to cost efficiency). An increasing number of schools have also been linked to the federal e-library -- a databank with hundreds of thousands of e-books and older, scanned printed material. Giving out cheap tablet computers to students has become quite common, especially in high schools.

The constantly changing and developing world of information technology has of course heaped great challenges to school teachers. The Ministry of Education has done its best to ensure that public educational institutions use similar systems whenever possible.

The much-used interactive learning material -- and some pioneer schools that have started experimenting with "teacher robots" -- has not, despite some speculations, made teachers obsolete. "Quite the opposite, in fact. It is now easier than ever for the children to access information. How to make the best possible use of this humongous mountain of data -- well, that's where we come in", explained principal Gaius Porcius.

Pre-Elementary Education

Even before the elementary school, there are various pre-schools that provide preparatory teaching to the children about to begin their primary education. In most pre-schools, children are taught to read, do math, draw and play musical instruments -- all in the form of play and games. Many pre-schools are also multi-linquistic, giving the children a language immersion from early on. Pax Aurea is full of both public and private pre-schools; public pre-schools are free, so they also tend to be quite crowded. Approximately 80% of Aurean children take at least one year of pre-school lessons before beginning their elementary school. Most pre-schools have classes for three-year-olds and upwards.

Elementary Education

Classes I–IX, roughly from 6–7 to 15–16, are common for all Aureans. Even those who attend to private schools follow quite similar curriculums. The elementary school is divided into three sections: lower, middle, and junior high, each lasting three years. It is common for many pupils to stay in the same group for the entire elementary school, all the way from early childhood into their teens. During these years, children receive a broad and extensive curriculum of at least three languages, literature and writing, mathematics and natural sciences, history, social sciences, philosophy, comparative religions, art and music, and PE. The pupil is free to customize her studies with optional courses; the number of available courses increase as she advances from low to middle and middle to junior high elementary.

Pax Aurea is a multi-cultural, multi-ethic, and multi-religious society, with a strong emphasis of personal and political liberties. The basic tenets of the democratic process and universal human rights and responsibilities are taught from early on. Children are also familiarized with the major world religions, their customs and basic creeds, and the role they play in their own neighbourhood.

High Schools and Vocational Schools

After finishing their elementary education, 98% of Aurean teenagers continue their studies in either high schools -- gymnasia -- or vocational schools -- scholae artum. Gymnasia provide more profound and deeper look into general knowledge in languages, mathematics, natural sciences, liberal arts, etc., while scholae artum focus more strictly on professional training, though still nurturing the students with additional courses of the same areas as gymnasia. This secondary education usually takes 2–4 years to finish, depending on the student and the school in question. Most gymnasia are course-based -- instead of a strict class structure, the student is free to proceed at her own pace by choosing her compulsory and optional courses among dozens of options. Different gymnasia have different emphases; for example, some offer more mathematical and IT courses, while some are more focused on arts and music.

Universities and Academies

The academic institutions have a lengthy tradition in Pax Aurea; indeed, some of them even boast with "direct descent" from the pre-Roman era Greek academies, though these claims are somewhat disputed by scholars. What can be taken as a fact, though, is that unlike in most other parts of Europe, the fall of the Roman empire did not herald doom to the classical education in the Aurean Isles. Barbarian hordes didn't overrun the remote province; academies and gymnasia continued to attract scholars and learned people with their philosophical schools, side-by-side with the raising monastic movement and monastery schools. Many of these ancient academies saw a rebirth into universities during High Middle Ages.

Aureans know their academic traditions and scholarly roots and are fiercely proud of them. An exceptionally large number of Aureans continue their studies at university level, even if they otherwise aim for non-academic careers. A survey conducted in 2010 revealed that 62% of Aureans had obtained at least the lowest-grade academic degree (usually "Candidate of This-Or-That" in the Aurean system).

All major cities have a university of their own; indeed, many notable towns have grown around institutions of learning. In many ways, the universitas or academia is considered to be the "heart" of the settlement. Many universities are also fierce (but friendly) competitors with each others, the academic arm wrestling going back to centuries.

History and culture that cherishes education are but one side of the appeal of universities to Aureans. Since studying for an academic degree is free -- there are no tuition fees -- and students also receive financial aid from the government, the social or income status of the student has only a relatively small role to play. Any Aurean, no matter how modest her family background, is able to pursue higher academic learning should she just possess the wit for it.

Recently in 2006, a virtual university that operates wholle in the internet was founded. The Commonwealth Virtual Academy is an on-going pioneer project the Ministries of Education and Science and Technology monitor closely.

For generations, Pax Aurea has welcomed foreign exchange students with open arms, continuing the age-old tradition of inviting scholars of all peoples, nations, and creeds to share their knowledge and ideas. Indeed, academic education is one of the more important import articles of the Commonwealth. The Ministry of Education is always seeking for new foreign sister universities for student exchange programs.

The Great Academy of Pacifica is the eldest and most revered of all Aurean almamaters.

Private Schools

Many private institutions of all grade levels from pre-school to universities exist in the Aurean world of education. The majority of these are the continuations of old patrician (noble) schools, or managed by various churches or other religious organizations. Some are boarding schools. In order to become government-approved, the private school in question must pledge to follow the national curriculum standards set by the Ministry of Education; in addition to those, they are free to expand the curriculum with the courses and emphasis of their choosing. Pupils and students of most private schools can be identified by their unique school uniforms.

One private school in particular has received much renown: the Academy of Minerva for Gifted Children. This establishment accepts only children with a very high IQ (140 upwards), exceptional talents, or savant abilities. If accepted, the child/student receives free education. The young prodigies schooled in the Minerva Academy are held in extremely high esteem in the Aurean society.

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