Education in Malgrave

Education in Malgrave is compulsory from birth until the age of 18. It is provided by public schools overseen by the Ministry of Education and Regional Social Solidarity Councils. Malgrave performs well in metrics related to literacy, mathematics and the sciences and the country has one of the highest-educated workforces in Mystria.

While education is not compulsory after finishing school, a considerable amount of social pressure is placed on continuing the educational journey and enrolling at a university. University education is regarded as a major priority for Malgravean families, as success in higher education is seen as critical for ensuring one's long-term success and guaranteeing employment at a decent company like MalPha or MalTec.

In some families, academic success is often a source of pride, with many parents displaying their child's academic achievements, although, this is a viewpoint that is actively discouraged by the Ancestral Study Group it still exists in many parts of the country, especially, in parents referred to in society as Otter Parents due to their constant emphasis on high academic performances and monitoring of their child's behaviour.

As a result, students are often faced with incredible pressure from society, teachers and their parents to succeed academically at school and those that don't enter into university or trade schools have reported lower life prospects and form of social prejudice which has been linked to the fact many students suffer with mental health problems and stress issues.

Malgrave invests considerable resources in education, as a result, Malgravean schools are well-resourced and often equipped with the latest technology from firms like MalTec and MalPha.

History

Education was a subject of discussion during the Conference of Asola and work started on the foundational blocs of the Malgravean educational system in 1910. Initially, the number of nursery schools in the country was limited, however, these schools were increased following the start of the Malgravean Civil War and soon joined with the creation of Trade Schools in the 1950s.

Between 1910 and 1980 Malgravean students in Primary, Secondary and Finishing Schools took a Yearly Aptitude Test (YAT) designed to judge their performance and encourage competition between students. In response to pressure from the Confederation of Teachers and Assistant Teachers (CTAT) this policy was scrapped in the 1980s.

Compulsory School Divisions

Nursery School

Before the Great Exodus, a large number of families in Malgrave were supported by just one working parent, however, the start of the Malgravean Civil War resulted in this trend being reversed and now a majority of households have both parents working either full or part-time jobs. As a result, the number of Nursery Schools in the country has steadily increased and a majority of apartments in the country have nursery structures to help new parents look after their children.

While these schools are technically part of the education system they don't focus that much on educational pursuits, with creative play being preferred which is seen as a step forward for future social interactions and positive physical and mental health, and this part is seen as the most positive aspect of the Malgravean education system.

Pre-School

Pre-School is seen as the actual first part of the Malgravean education system as it is where serious attempts at education start. In preschool, Malgraveans are taught the basics of Malgravean ancient, maths and some basic science with some pre-schools also teaching the basics of Mystrian Common and High Kouralian. Like nursery students are taught using imaginative games and singing and dancing form a big part of preschool education and many Malgraveans tend to remember these song and dance routines well into adulthood.

Primary School

Malgraveans enter primary school after graduating from preschool which is typically at the age of six, although, this can be sped up or delayed depending on academic performance.

The following subjects are taught at primary school:

• Malgravean Ancient
• Mystrian Common
• High Kouralian
• Mathematics
• Science
• Art
• Music
• Engineering
• Physical Education
• Social Solidarity
• Religious Education

In a majority of cases, the class teacher covers these subjects, however, in the cases of subjects like physical education and foreign languages specialised teachers are employed. Teachers at Primary Schools are well-trained and highly paid, as to become a teacher one must major in primary education at university which is designed to create teachers who can teach a variety of subjects to a high level and prepare their students for the next part of their educational journey.

Secondary School

Malgraveans enter Secondary School after leaving Primary School, as with earlier stages this can be brought forward or delayed depending on academic performances but the majority enter when they are 12. From 1933 to 1980 Malgraveans had to pass an entrance exam to qualify for primary school education, however, this was scrapped by Nikola Tesla and replaced with a test designed to gauge a student's progress and inform teachers which existed until it was scrapped in 2002.

Secondary School is more formal compared to Primary School and Pre-School, with uniforms and style of dress being enforced (although the strictness of this enforcement varies per region). Unlike in Primary School, students have different teachers for each subject and so students move from classroom to classroom over the course of the day.

A majority of Malgraveans also attend after-school tutoring sessions called Additional Learning Experiences (ALE) but most commonly referred to as cram schools. Such experiences are often run by the Gabriel Narutowicz Pioneers and Free Democratic Youth and vary per day either covering a singular subject or multiple core subjects. ALEs constitute a second round of schooling for students and are occasionally broken up by attendance in musical academies or physical activities such as hiking or sailing in Portmon.

It has been reported that students often return home between 1 and 2 am in the morning and a majority of Malgravean students also attend these voluntary learning experiences on the weekend. It is often joked that a student with a healthy sleeping pattern is either a prodigy or not interested in their educational future and this phenomenon has been linked to the poor mental health and high-stress levels present in many Malgravean students.

In 2020 Nadzieja Brzezicki attempted to restrict Additional Learning Experiences from being run past 12 am but so-far her efforts have only been moderately successful.

Finishing School

Malgraveans enter Finishing Schools after successfully graduating Secondary School, a typical Malgravean enters Finishing School when they are 16 but this can be brought forward or delayed dependent on academic performance. Finishing Schools are designed to provide students with the knowledge they need to pass their university entrance exams, so beyond school hours the vast majority of students in finishing schools also take part in Additional Learning Experiences (ALE).

Unlike earlier stages in the education system Finishing Schools are slightly less formal, as students are encouraged to challenge teachers and fellow students when they feel comfortable, as a result academic debates are a common sight in many classrooms, although, these are controlled to prevent disruption they have resulted in some breakthroughs with Claudia Donovan being known early on for her interruptions which revealed a few security flaws present in the MalTec Auklet which were promptly fixed by the company.

Due to the social pressure to attend university, a lot of students have been reported to take drugs in the build-up to their university entrance exams in order to cram over several days without rest. Such a phenomenon is quite common, with high-profile figures such as Claudia Donovan, Nadzieja Brzezicki and Seo Yi-kyung speaking openly about their experiences and the subject being the main point of an episode of Path to Justice. In recent years, a few campaigns have been launched to try and stop this often promoted by celebrities with Rhee Chae-Yeong and Janina Pasternack.

Tertiary Education

Trade Schools

Trade School started appearing in Malgrave shortly after the re-establishment of the country following the Great Exodus, with the first recorded trade school opening in 1934 in Pakosc. Initially, the trade schools were looked down in society and seen as a lesser form of tertiary education compared to traditional universities, such perceptions started to change upon the election of Helen Magnus as the Technology Party sought to increase the number of workers employed in industrial cities like Pakosc.

Actions by many trade school students during the Battle of Pakosc and subsequent work performed by MalTra to improve rail services in the country also served to improve the image, although, it is still not a prestigious as university it doesn't attract the same prestige it is still a matter of pride for many in the country.

University

University is the ultimate goal for many Malgraveans and a lot of social pressure is placed upon the youngest generations to pass the entrance exam required to attend a prestigious university. Like with Finishing Schools, the academic environment in Malgravean universities allows students to challenge professors and fellow students and directly tackle established knowledge which has been credited with aiding in scientific development of the country and preventing stagnation which could exist in more rigid learning structures.

A majority of university students also attend Additional Learning Experiences (ALE) and sleep deprivation and drug usage is common in the student population in an attempt to cram knowledge required for decent results at school.

Due to the importance placed on obtaining a university education, the job market in Malgrave is often oversaturated with graduates and many Malgraveans often travel overseas to gain employment

Criticism

Education in Malgrave has been criticised for placing too much stress on students, as many students report resorting to drugs to suitably cram for university entrance exams which are seen by many as dictating the future of their lives.

Recent social pressure has been placed upon the education system to try and address these problems, with episodes of Path to Justice outlining the fatal consequences of this pressure. In 2020 Nadzieja Brzezicki attempted to reduce the hours in which cram classes could operate but her attempts have proven to be unsuccessful.