amaotonovel Chapter 65 Mass Education
Chapter 65 Mass Education
“Mr. Kester, this class has a good foundation. Well, at least they learn very quickly. They have the potential to move up to the advanced class.”
Alice's voice came through, and the traveler snapped out of his thoughts. This princess started by talking about education, and her words were already quite different from those of princesses or duchesses from other countries.
"This class rose very quickly in the last month's selection, Your Highness. Of course, they have the potential, but as for whether they are qualified..."
As the principal, Skyker was about to reply with "It's up to you," but Alice took over the conversation, holding her book and looking up at him: "It depends on their final rankings."
Skye nodded. Academic affairs are complicated and difficult, and the current staff are not up to standard. However, if Alice's standards are followed, no one can pass the test.
"Have the monthly exam questions been released yet?"
"Not yet, Your Highness. We're finalizing what the last math problem should be..."
"Give me a word problem about a quadratic equation in one variable."
Alice tapped the book in her hand with her pen, and Skye nodded. It was normal for this grade to be on the same academic schedule.
"However, I'll schedule it for the last fifteen minutes. I'll set the question; it won't be easy."
Due to a lack of printers and cheap printing, most school exams were conducted by invigilators writing the questions on a blackboard and students writing the answers on blank paper.
It was complicated, but for Amelia in the early stages of industrialization, it was the most suitable form of education. After all, it was compulsory education, not small-scale elite education, and the cost had to be calculated. Alice didn't want the government to go bankrupt before industrialization was complete.
"By the way, a batch of typewriters will be delivered today, along with technicians from the manufacturer. Your school should send a group of people to learn how to use the typewriters."
"Yes."
Seemingly noticing the traveler's exotic attire, Alice pointed to the young traveler, whose slightly wavy brown hair and somewhat delicate face made Alice wonder if she had stumbled into some strange movie set if this school wasn't a completely Chinese-style school.
"This is my cousin, Daedalus the Traveler, who is also a bard and philosopher."
"It is my great honor, Your Highness. Please forgive my uninvited visit."
“It’s alright, Mr. Daedalot. You know, hundreds of people want to visit me every day, but I can’t turn my work into a reception. The fact that you’ve come here means you’ve already crossed the threshold.”
Daedalus nodded. Ever since he arrived in the North, he had been captivated by the dramatic changes there. From the complex firepower machinery at the docks to the exquisite ships, the thriving commerce, and the train connecting Trian to Hira, everything was new and exciting to him. He had originally come to find Skate, but what he saw before him surpassed his five-year journey. The monarchs of various countries were still as uninspired as before, and even the magnificent Holy City of the Human Church had not changed much compared to ten years ago.
But in Trian, the source of the upheaval in the North, he saw everything he had never seen before: wide, clean roads, tall buildings, roaring factories, towering chimneys—everything he could not see anywhere else. It was a purely man-made landscape, even though the Trian River smelled a bit foul.
Upon learning that the creator of all this was the princess, he was eager to visit his new master. He sought out his cousin, Kester, who knew that Alice would be teaching at the school.
"Your Highness, the royal military is more than capable of dealing with the false emperor in the south, isn't that right?"
Alice thought for a moment and replied with an ambiguous smile. Yes, but not necessarily. Alice did not want to go south before the first phase of industrialization was completed. After all, if there was a war, industrialization would be interrupted, many things would have to stop, and routes would have to be changed.
It's impossible to achieve a successful industrialization with only half-baked methods. The South has far more manpower than the North, which is obvious. Although immigrants from the South are replenishing the North's manpower every day, according to reports from the Secret Service's spies, the South has about 500,000 troops, while she currently only has 300,000 men and 20 divisions, including the number of naval infantry.
“I just saw you personally teaching students, and I heard that you used royal funds to build this school.”
"Yes."
"Why is that, Your Highness? I've been to the Desert Empire, and even the most illustrious rulers wouldn't do this. Don't you already own the Amelansi United University? Just like their Palace of Wisdom,"
Alice wondered how to answer. The current level of workers was actually quite poor, but the children who had received compulsory education from this group would obviously not make up for the workers' shortcomings. Most of them would still become leaders, after all, they were the first batch of talents to emerge from the education system, and they would have to wait another six years for the first batch of talents to graduate.
"Indeed, we already have many scholars, who undoubtedly possess brilliant minds. Mr. Daedalot, I am certain that our scholars' research is at the forefront of the world. From a traditional perspective, I do not need to establish such a school."
The group chatted as they walked. The five-story building only had stairs, so even Alice could only walk because the corridors were sealed off and she couldn't fly. Alice didn't want to reveal her identity, since one of the principles behind the school's establishment was to eliminate the distinctions of background and social class among students.
Daedalus nodded in agreement. In his opinion, Alice didn't need to do this at all, but she must have had her reasons.
“But what we are building today is not a traditional device. You may not know that the innovation in the North is based on knowledge, and this knowledge must be available to the public in order to cope with an increasingly large and complex society.”
"The society we have built now already contains tens of thousands of words just for the laws and knowledge necessary for society. The production system we have built now is an even more complex system, and every position requires even more knowledge. If the people are all stupid, then all of this is meaningless."
Alice adjusted her glasses and continued, "Ultimately, our current education aims to improve the quality of the people. As the country grows larger and society becomes more complex, we cannot completely rule the country with just a few people. In the end, we need more people to participate in the governance of the country, and the governance of the country requires knowledge. Rulers need knowledge, and the ruled also need knowledge."
"Popular education can, to a certain extent, ensure that the government is more accessible to the general public and that power is more equal. This is my goal."
"You are royalty, why do you need to proclaim equality? This is contrary to your status!"
Alice looked up at the sky. The tallest chimney in Trian was still belching black smoke. She said, "Perhaps once the first factory appeared in Trian, this trend was already irreversible. If you don't follow this trend, it's only a matter of time before you're crushed."
Alice simply said that, apart from those who have watched tablets, very few people in this world know where the wheels of history are heading. But Alice knew that from the moment she received her education in her previous life, she understood that no one could escape the crushing force of the wheels of history.
It's better to join it than to resist it.