Education in Kanjor walks a fine line between being highly centralized and regional in orientation and organization. Primary and secondary education takes place almost entirely at the regional level, with the national government responsible for funding, regulation, and curriculum design; although the separate regions may create unique curriculum for which to teach about the history and culture of their regions.
Most primary and secondary schools, with the exception of nursery schools which are nationally or privately run and funded, are predominately run by the regions, which are responsible for hiring of teachers and administrators; however, teachers are considered to be national civil servants and are paid by the national government. The nation maintains a compulsory and free primary and secondary education system until children reach the age of 18. There are a small number of private educational institutions, mostly Theognosian in orientation, but they are heavily regulated by the national and regional governments.
The school calendar is created and implemented by the Ministry of Education and Culture and is standardized throughout the nation; however, the Isle of la Tondelle has the ability to change the vacation dates based upon the weather and cultural conditions.
Primary Education[]
Upon reaching the age of 4, children begin voluntary primary education by attending the year long cours préparatoires (preparatory course) in which they begin preliminary reading and writing skills. In this year, they are also exposed to rudimentary mathematics; such as counting and simple addition and subtraction. Likewise, they students take traditional culture classes to learn their unique regional stories, music, holidays and history. However, many strong unionists believe this is the opposed to the building of a strong nation and the teaching of such regional cultural should end.
The Four Cycles[]
Mandatory education in Kanjor begins at age 5 when students attend their first cycle in primary school. The primary school system is organized into four such cycles, with each one covering two years, except for the final cycle which covers only one year.
Cycle 1 - Ages 6-7: During these years, students concentrate on basic reading, writing, and humanities which is normally cultural studies. They also concentrate on basic early math and basic early science. The important focus is, of course, on literacy.
Cycle 2 - Ages 8-9: During these years, students continue their education on reading, basic writing, basic math, basic science, humanities with a focus on Terran geography.
Cycle 3 - Ages 10-11: Upon reaching these years, students continue to concentrate on reading, writing, and math. However, it is during these years that students expand their science repertoire to include experience biology, (esp. horticulture), and their humanities studies move onto religious studies, geography, and research skills.
Cycle 4 - Age 12: The final cycle concentrates on advanced reading, writing, science (earth sciences, meteorology, astronomy), humanities (early humans, anthropology, further research skills). During this last cycle, students take a series of aptitude tests and interest surveys to guide them and their parents towards their possible interests in secondary education.
Secondary Education[]
A secondary mathematics class in Afar.
After finishing primary school, students attend a lycée or high school. There is no junior high or middle school equivalent in the Kanjorien education system.
Lycées, just like primary schools, tend to be predominately public institutions, however, there are a larger number of private secondary schools than there are private primary schools; most of which are more advanced in rigor or specialized in focus as opposed to religious in nature.
Kanjor has embraced for many years a revolutionary secondary education system. It has focus not solely on teaching general education as in many secondary education systems throughout Terra, but has instead focused on defining the educational and/or vocational goals and interests of the individual student and tailoring their secondary experiences toward those established goals. In essence, Kanjor has a almost entirely individualized secondary education system.
Because of this radical shift in focus, Kanjorien educational institutions are often studied and toured by visiting policymakers from all over Terra. Dr. Pierre Jules Barré, former Kanjorien Minister of Education, is quoted to have said "the individualized [education] plan of Kanjor is the envy of all nations in Terra."
Cycles secondaire[]
Just as in primary education, secondary schools are divided into two-year long cycles. But these are classified differently; there are two cycles secondaire (Secondary Cycles) and one cycle avancée (Advanced Cycle).
Secondary Cycle 1 - Ages 13-14: For these two years, students focus on general education classes; such as mathematics, humanities, sciences, etc. At this time, they take the first in a series of three La Norme Nationale (National Standard test - NN) aptitude tests determining basic competency, interests, technology skills, and goals of students. After this first series, students are given their test scores, and they and their parents are individually mentored around the individualized system and the importance of their pathway decisions is made clear.
Secondary Cycle 2 - Ages 15-16: These are the final years of general education courses and by the last year of the cycle students are given more and more opportunities to take elective classes that may fit into or aid the cycle avancée for which they are leaning. During these two years, the students again take the increasingly advanced NN tests and it is these results that are used in conjunction with lycée and instructor recommendation to guide students towards their final educational path. However, regardless of the what the tests say and what the recommendations are ultimately it is the student's choice as to what Advanced Cycle they wish to focus their efforts towards.
Brevet des cycles secondaire[]
Nevertheless, the first two cycles are not truly over upon the completion of the two Secondary Cycles. Students must also take and pass three tests to earn their Brevet des cycles secondaire (Certificate of Secondary Cycles) in order to move on to Advanced cycle. These three tests focus on all subjects covered throughout Secondary Cycles; including but not limited to physics, chemistry, mathematics (algebra, geometry, early trigonometry), biology, history, government/civics, French, and foreign language.
The Brevet exams are take in three sessions that last over two days roughly a month before Secondary Cycle 2 classes are complete. This allows students to receive and discuss their scores with lycée instructors and administrators. Likewise, this allows students to register for their focus and make necessary arrangements if they did not pass. Generally, students who do not achieve proper marks on their exams spend their last month preparing to retake them.
Students who achieve the necessary marks spend the last month doing mandatory community service before being dismissed from classes a week early.
Cycle avancée[]
Advanced Cycle - Ages 16-18: Compulsory education ends at age 18, however, depending on a student's chosen path, it may end at age 16 as they begin to focus less on general education as upon a more practical, rigorous, and relevant curriculum.
After students are accepted into the Advanced Cycle, they are presented with a choice between five different education séries, or courses, to take. Each séries culminates in a baccalaureate diploma citing completion of lycée.
- Séries générales (General Courses) - Very broad, general education focused courses. The Générale prepares a student for higher education. The job market considers Générale baccalaureate diploma alone as useless, so continued study in higher education is not only implied but even necessary to get all but the most low paying jobs.
- Séries académique (Academic Courses) - Students in the Academic course prepare for careers in the humanities, education, linguistics, economics, history, literature, journalism, politics, and public service. The Académique baccalaureate does allow students to gain employment in the civil service, however, more specialized careers such as education, economics, or linguistics require higher education degrees.
- Séries technologiques (Technical and Science Courses) - Course focuses both on practical matters and on technical aspects of the sciences and technologies; lessons have a less theoretical, but more technical and practical approach to the subjects. This course prepares a student for possible careers including but not limited to Information Technology, Medicine, Health, Trade, Engineering, and Communications. It still offers some general education classes in math, languages, history, science, and geography, but at more rudimentary levels.
- Séries professionnelle (Vocational Courses) - Very practical and very job specific education. Possible career directions include but are not limited to Carpentry, Car mechanics, Jewelry, Masonry, Heavy Industry work. Unlike the other courses, the Professionnel does not qualify students to pursue higher education. Only if the student chooses to take and pass the baccalaureate will he/she receive a diploma; which only then will allow him/her to pursue higher education.
- Séries artistique (Artistic Courses) - Very practical and very job specific education. Possible career directions include but are not limited to Theater, Opera, Theater management & direction, Music producing, Acting, Film, and Film direction. Likewise, the Artistique does not qualify students to pursue higher education. Only if the student chooses to take and pass the baccalaureate will he/she receive a diploma; which only then will allow him/her to pursue higher education. Students are generally not allowed into Music or Film programs/schools without a baccalaureate.
Baccalauréat[]
Each course of lycée must take an exam to earn a course specific baccalauréat; however, each exam is "individualized" to specific courses students took. All the exams, however, are an assortment of written, oral, demonstration and/or laboratory formats testing the students for the entire duration of lycée and not just the Cycle avancée.
All exams cover the basic courses from Secondary Cycles 1 & 2 such as French, math, life science, technology, and civics. But each exam focuses mostly on the courses taken during the Advanced Cycle.
- Baccalauréat général (general baccalaureate) - The exam covers basic Secondary Cycle subjects but focuses on history and geography, economics, foreign language, and general health.
- Baccalauréat scientifique (scientific baccalaureate) - The exam covers the basic Secondary Cycle subjects but focuses on physics and chemistry (or biology and anatomy), geometry, and the engineering sciences.
- Baccalauréat académique (academic baccalaureate) - The exam covers the basic Secondary Cycle subjects but focuses on Kanjorien & Terran literature, history and geography, philosophy (or psychology), foreign language, economics. In past years, the exam may have also substituted certain portions of the exam with an accepted research dissertation.
- Baccalauréat professionnel (professional baccalaureate) - The exam covers the basic Secondary Cycle subjects as well as rudimentary vocational skills. This is an optional exam and whether it is taken depends upon student's desire to do so in tandem with the recommendation of the cooperating vocation.
- Baccalauréat artistique (artistic baccalaureate) - The exam covers the basic Secondary Cycle subjects along with art history, design and theater. This is an optional exam and whether it is taken depends much upon the student's desire to do so in tandem with the recommendations of the cooperating artistic community. In order to take the exam, the student must have a formal letter along with the presentation of an artistic achievement portfolio, both of which have been signed by artistic instructor.
Higher Education[]
divided into public undergraduate institutions (Universités), public graduate institutions (Grandes écoles / Écoles Normale Supérieure / Écoles Nationale Supérieur), private preparatory schools, private universities (solely Theognosian, 1 Confessional), private graduate institutions (École des Hautes Études Internationales)
- very low professor-student ratio; found to be rather bloated in some areas
- earn Degré Initial (Initial Degree) - 3-year degree
- Maîtrise (Master's Degree) - additional 2-years, generally includes a thesis paper and/or laboratory research
- Doctorat (Doctorate Degree) -
Tuition[]
- Kanjor fully subsidizes higher education tuition; however, students are required to pay KRP 1,000 expense fee per school year regardless of whether full-time student ... argument is that this encourages students to be full-time and exit the unversities in a timely manner
- students pay tuition in full; and are then reimbursed in full (minus KRP 1,000); often criticized method but argument made that it reminds students that their education is not free and it comes from the taxpayers
Public Universities[]
- Université Impériale de Kanjo
- Université de la Ville du Pesançon
Quad of the Université d'Atyr-Nord.
- Université Saint-Thomas (Pesançon)
- Université de Narseille
- Université d'Atyr-Sud
- Collège des Saints (Atyr)
- Université de Bayonville
- Université de Loitiers
- Université de la Baie (Afar)
The Collège des Saints is one of the oldest, and smallest, universities in Atyr.
- Collège de la Reine Louise-Elisabeth (Afar)
- Collège de Deims et Port de Munodi
- Université Foulouse
- Université de Soulon
- Université de la Ville du Cimoges
- Université d'Atyr-Nord
- Université de Région Martois
- Université de la Paroisse Côtes-d'Armor (Nasbourg)
- Université de Région Centre-La Tondelle
- Université de Lambéry
- Université de Trest
- Université de Région Numineux
Public Technical Universities/Institutes[]
Public Preparatory Schools[]
are a form of boarding school; all preparatory schools (Except Royale Classe Préparatoire aux Grandes Écoles d'Orléans-Vasser require either an entrance exam or positive marks on the Brevet or other tests)
preparatory schools have either yearlong or two-yearlong programs that prepare students for Grandes Écoles; students do not earn degrees but receive Certificat de préparation that is a leg-up into Grande École acceptance
- Classe Préparatoire aux Grandes Écoles de Numineux - largest
- Classe Préparatoire aux Grandes Écoles de Oléri-des-Grâces
- Classe Préparatoire aux Grandes Écoles de l'Îlot de La Tondelle - oldest & most prestigious
- Royale Classe Préparatoire aux Grandes Écoles d'Orléans-Vasser (Martois)- commission by HRH Queen Louise-Elisabeth in her efforts to improve education for Kanjorien youth
Grandes écoles[]
- public graduate institutions; accessible after competitive exam after Academic Baccalaureate; highly selective, prestigious
- tend to be smaller than Universities; but more focused and more rigorous
- École Nationale
- École Nationale de la Magistrature - Law school, training of magistrates, judges, public prosecutors
- École Nationale d'Administration - trains managers for high levels in business, government, ministries, institutions
- École Normale Supérieure - each has a specific focus; trains university and École professors
- École Normale Supérieure d'Atyr
- École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture d'Atyr - architecture
- École Normale Supérieure de Pesançon
- École Normale Supérieure de la Gochelle
Lecture hall at the École Normale Supérieure d'Atyr.
- École Polytechnique - technical, engineering, mathematical focus
- Institut Polytechnique de Belfort
- École nationale supérieure mathématiques appliquées de Belfort
- Institut Polytechnique d'Atyr
- Institut Polytechnique de Pesançon
- Institut Polytechnique de Nasbourg
- Institut Polytechnique de Territoire Continental
- Institut Polytechnique de l'Îe de la Tondelle
- Institut Polytechnique de Kanjo
- École Centrale
- École Centrale de Numineux
- École Centrale de Oléri-des-Grâces
- École Centrale de Tondola
- École Centrale de Martois
- École Centrale de Silliers
- École Centrale de Pesançon
- Institut National des Sciences Appliquées - applied science and engineering school
- Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Pesançon
- Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Belfort
- École Nationale Supérieure - artistic oriented
- École Nationale Supérieure de la Dame de l'Afar
- École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - fine arts program of Dame
- Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique I - National Academy of Dramatic Art
- École Nationale Supérieure de Film d'Arts et des Sciences (Saint-Claire)
- Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique II
- École Nationale Supérieure de Film d'Arts et des Sciences (Pesançon)
- Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique III
Medical Schools[]
- École Nationale Supérieure de Médecine - medical schools; all four have several specific focus but all train médecin généraliste (General practitioners)
- École Nationale Supérieure de Médecine I (Isle of la Tondelle)
- École de diagnostic
- École de chirurgie
- École de médecine interne
- École de la pédiatrie
- École de la gériatrie
- École Nationale Supérieure de Médecine II (Numineux)
- École de médecine interne
- École de chirurgie
- École de cardiologie et d'hématologie
- École de cancérologie
- École de pneumologie
- École Nationale Supérieure de Médecine III (Oléri-des-Grâces)
- École de médecine préventive
- École de la pédiatrie
- École de la gastro-entérologie
- École Nationale Supérieure de Médecine IV (Martois)
- École de chirurgie
- École de neurologie
Military Officer Academies[]
École Navale
École de l'Air
École Spéciale Militaire
Private Institutions[]
- Royale Classe Préparatoire aux Grandes Écoles de la Maison de Audierne - private preparatory school
- Royale Classe Préparatoire aux Grandes Écoles de Alphonse IV
- Royale Classe Préparatoire aux Grandes Écoles de la Reine Anne
- National Université Theognostique