Rildanor

[Elena1012]

Education reform in Meriath; Expanding affordability and access.
-----------------------
September 9th, 5672
-----------------------
Education is a big topic for everyone. Everyone wants their child to get the best education they possibly can. But, how is that possible if no one can afford to put their kids in a school? How can they achieve that if the nearest school is on the other side of the island? The Claire Presidency is looking to answer this question with the recently passed "Equal Opportunity Education Act". 

For starters, universal preschool. Every child aged 3-5 will be guaranteed a place in public preschools. This ensures that children are taken care of (to ease parents), and this also ensures that children get a good education in the beginning phases of life. For children below 3, caps will be placed on fees, with state subsidies for middle and low income families (passed through a compromise with the Centrist Party of Free Rildanor), and of course, expanding free meals to cover all of education, from preschools to universities.

For Primary and Secondary Education, schools will be fully modernized. New textbooks, desks, computers, new buildings. Also included is modernizing the paychecks of teachers, grants for training, and loan forgiveness for teachers who work in rural or understaffed areas. Alongside this, modifying the curriculum to include civics and culture. An apathetic population embraces radicalism and fascism. That cannot happen here like it did on the mainland. Arts, critical thinking and civics will be vital to schools in Meriath. 

For higher education, the original proposal of the EOEA would've seen full tuition free education, but was shot down in negotiations in the Free Congress with a compromise being offered, with low income students receiving free tuition, and subsidized tuition based on family income for middle income families. Furthermore, limited debt forgiveness for students, with a focus on low income and middle income students, and especially for students in public service jobs. Alongside this, the creation of community learning centres to ensure adults can go back into education, and working with the private sector to ensure workers can go into education via employer co-funding and such. 

Finally, targeted investments will begin for rural Meriath to ensure rural communities are given the tools they need to thrive. Furthermore, inclusion of special needs. Not every student is the same. No student can be left behind. Not in Meriath.