Education in Imagua and the Assimas

Education in Imagua and the Assimas is heavily based off the Estmerish education system as had implemented during the rule of Imagua until independence. Since independence, the education system has evolved, as the structure was simplified in the 1960s to "enable a more egalitarian educational system" to be put into place. It is today managed by the Ministry of Education.

Developed from the 16th century, the Estmerish structure was only implemented in the nineteenth century by the colonial authorities on the island of Imagua, while until the end of the Solarian War, the Etrurians had their own structure on the Assimas Islands.

As of the 2011 census, there are 134,570 students in the education system, comprising around 10.3% of the national population, with 96,005 students, or 7.3% of the population, being enrolled in either preschool, primary school, or secondary school.

Overview

The basis of the education system in Imagua and the Assimas dates back to the earliest colonial settlements on the island of Imagua and the Assimas Islands in the 16th century. However, until the 19th century, education on the islands were patchy, with most schools being attached to churches.

In 1881, on the island of Imagua, Governor (TBC) implemented compulsory education for all children between the ages of five and ten years of age. After the establishment of the Legislative Council of Imagua in 1892, they were given powers over the education system on the island. Thus, the school leaving age was raised to 13 in 1896, and to 14 by 1922. By 1945, it had risen to 15.

Following the annexation of the Assimas in 1946, the educational system, which had up until that point been based off the Etrurian education system was changed to that used on Imagua. After full independence from Estmere in 1946, the education system on Imagua maintained its basis on the Estmerish model. During the 1950s, calls for desegregation of the school system led to the Education Act of 1953 which required all schools to accept "any student within their catchment area, regardless of race."

In the 1960s, under Prime Minister Efrem Lacovara, the educational system was radically transformed: comprehensive high schools all but replaced the grammar schools and secondary modern schools, with middle schools being phased out completely. The comprehensive high schools were required to "not discriminate against gender, religion, race, or creed." The school leaving age was raised to 16 in 1973, which has remained there since.

Grading

Grade	Marks
A+	97% to 100%
A	90% to 96%
B	80% to 89%
C	70% to 79%
D	60% to 69%
E	50% to 59%
F	40% to 49%
G	0% to 39%
U	ungraded

Academic year

The academic year in Imagua and the Assimas is divided into three trimesters (Vespasian: trimestri), regardless of whether it is a primary school, secondary school, or a higher educational institution.

The first trimester starts on the first week of September, and lasts until the last week of November. Following the end of the first trimester, a one-month Christmas break takes place, with the second trimester beginning on the start of January and lasting until Easter. After a week-long Easter break, the third trimester starts and lasts until the first week of July, when the academic year ends.

Classes usually start at 9 am and usually last until 3 pm.

Governance

All state shools are governed by school districts (Vespasian: distretti scolastici) per the Education Act of 1892, with the school districts being legally coterminus with the local government areas, but are run by a school board (Vespasian: consiglio scolastico), with a minimum of five members, who are responsible for maintaining all state schools in their school district.

Since the promulgation of the Local Government Act of 1987, there are 193 school districts in Imagua and the Assimas.

Education stages

The structure of the education system is based off the Estmerish education system, although unlike in other former Estmerish colonies, such as Rwizikuru, the system has adapted over the decades, most notably in the 1960s with the implementation of comprehensive high schools as opposed to the selective grammar schools and secondary modern schools that had existed prior to that point in time.

Education on all levels has been free since 2012, when tertiary education was made free of charge for all students with Imaguan citizenship, with the exception of certain fees.

Age range	Name (Estmerish)	Name (Vespasian)	School	Mandatory
3-4	Nursery	Asilo	Primary school
4-5	Reception	Ricezione
5-6	Year One	Primo anno
6-7	Year Two	Secondo anno
7-8	Year Three	Terzo anno
8-9	Year Four	Quarto anno
9-10	Year Five	Quinto anno
10-11	Year Six	Sesto anno
11-12	First Form	Prima forma	Comprehensive school
12-13	Second Form	Seconda forma
13-14	Third Form	Terza forma
14-15	Fourth Form	Quarta forma
15-16	Fifth Form	Quinta forma
16-17	Lower Sixth Form	Sesta forma inferiore	Sixth Form
17-18	Upper Sixth Form	Sesta forma superiore

Preschool education

Preschool education is divided into Nursery and Reception. These are largely offered by primary schools, and are in multi-age classrooms.

In preschool classes, children are taught basic skills, such as letters in the Latin alphabet, basic vocabulary, and basic mathematics, as well as how to cooperate with other people. They are generally only taught in their "home language" (i.e. either Western Imaguan Creole, Estmerish or Vespasian).

As of 2016, 86% of three-year old children, and 92% of four-year old children are enrolled in a preschool class, with rates largely being stable, regardless of whether they live in an urban area or rural area.

Primary education

A Year One class in San Pietro, 2011

Compulsory education begins at the age of five, when students start attending Year One. Subjects are all taught in their home language (i.e. Estmerish and Vespasian), and are taught literacy, art, physical education, sciences, and mathematics. With the exception of physical education and art classes, students stay with one teacher for the entire day.

Starting in Year Four, students are taught the other language (either Estmerish if they're in an Vespasian school, or vice-versa). They are also taught sex education, history, and begin to learn a foreign language, usually Gaullican.

From Year One to Year Five, there are no standardized tests: while schools can and do have their own tests at the end of the year, they do not count to the overall grade.

At the end of Year Six, students take the Standard Assessment Test. While a high score guarantees admittance to certain selective high schools, around 98% of students end up going to a comprehensive high school.

Secondary education

Bronstad Comprehensive School, Bronstad, 2010

While historically, secondary education has been provided by central schools, secondary modern schools, and grammar schools, since the 1960s, they have all been consolidated in comprehensive high schools, with only a handful of selective schools remaining in existence, of which most of the selective schools are private schools.

Unlike in primary school, students attending secondary school go from class to class. Besides the mandatory classes, such as languages (Estmerish, Vespasian, and a foreign language), mathematics (geometry, algebra, functions, pre-calculus, or calculus), science (chemistry, biology, physics), world history, financial literacy, and arts (drama, dance, fine arts, or applied arts), students can also take elective courses. While certain classes are required for lower forms, such as physical education, by the Third Form, these classes are no longer required.

At the end of Fifth Form, students take the O-levels. Those who pass the O-levels may choose to attend Sixth Form, or to drop out, while students who fail the O-levels cannot attend Sixth Form.

In Sixth Form, students prepare for their A-levels, which have two modules: the A1 level, and the A2 level, with the A2 level being more rigorous than the A1 level. Students in Sixth Form must take five A1 level courses for their Lower Sixth Form, and then take three A2 level courses for their Upper Sixth Form. After finishing the A-levels, students are allowed to go into tertiary education.

Tertiary education

Universities

Università di San Pietro Administration Building, 2010

Structurally, unlike the rest of the Imaguan education system, which is based off of the Estmerish model, the post-secondary system in Imagua and the Assimas is based more off the higher education system in Etruria, on account of the only university in the country being located on the Assimas Islands at the time of its annexation from Etruria. Thus, students study for three years to obtain a bachelors degree (Vespasian: laurea triennale), and then for another two years to obtain a master's degree (Vespasian: laurea magistrale).

The oldest university is the Università di San Pietro, established in 1939, and located in San Pietro. Until 1970, it taught in both Estmerish and Vespasian, but since 1970, it only teaches in Vespasian, with the exception of a handful of classes. It gives degrees in archaeology, history, architecture, law, education, health sciences, natural sciences, political science, chemistry, mathematics, biology, geology, engineering, nursing, medicine, linguistics, music, and journalism.

The newest university is the University of Cuanstad, which opened in 1967, to relieve pressure at the Università di San Pietro, and to provide an exclusively Estmerish language curriculum. It gives degrees in law, education, health sciences, natural sciences, history, mathematics, political science, chemistry, biology, geology, engineering, nursing, medicine, linguistics, and journalism.

As of 2016, there were 25,059 domestic students attending a university in Imagua and the Assimas, with 16,706 students attending the University of Cuanstad, while only 8,353 attending the Università di San Pietro.

Polytechnics

Besides the universities, there are also polytechnics, equivalent to technological institutes. Polytechnics generally specialize in engineering, applied science, and technology.

As of 2016, there are five polytechnics: Politecnico di Rutigliano at Rutigliano, Politecnico centrale at San Pietro, Cuanstad Polytech at Cuanstad, Altaithe Polytechnic at Altaithe, and Nua Taois Polytechnic at Nua Taois. In that year, there were 13,506 domestic students attending a polytechnic in Imagua and the Assimas.