Education in Eckland

The responsibility for the **education system in the Eckland** is delegated to the federal government. The system is divided into five major groupings: preschool, primary, academy, upper secondary, and higher.

Education is mandatory for children ages 6–14; this makes up the entirety of primary school. Students first have the option to enter school at age 3, and most finish their schooling at age 18. Most educational institutions in the country are funded by the state; private schooling is relatively rare, while homeschooling is heavily regulated and inaccessible for most except for extreme circumstances. Due to the lack of religion in Eckland, religious schooling is relatively unheard of.

## Levels

The Eckish education system is divided into five levels: preschool, primary, academy, upper secondary, and higher. Not all levels must be completed to satisfy education requirements, however, as some run at the same time as others.

### Preschool

Preschool, or *vreelskool* ("before school"), is non-compulsory education for those between the ages of three and six. It is the first level of the Eckish education system, and often children's first foray into learning in a setting with teachers who are not their parents and other students who are not their siblings. Preschool serves two major purposes in Eckish society: make the transition to primary school as easy as possible for students, and allow for parents to return to their careers after childbirth without having to spend money on hiring daycare services. Preschool is free for all tax-paying residents of Eckland, as tuition fees are covered through taxation. Private preschools exist, although they are rare, as about 83% of Eckish preschools are state-run. Most private preschools are small and exist in rural communities where a public preschool has not yet been established; these schools often charge low tuition rates and are often run by local mothers from the area.

Eckish preschool puts a large emphasis on learning through music, which experts have stated contributes to the importance of music in Eckish culture. All preschools are equipped with playgrounds for the children. In most preschools, children are grouped together by age group, with 3–4 year olds together, and 5–6 year olds together; however, in some small municipalities where there are not a lot of students, the children may all be mixed together. All preschools are coeducational. Preschool admission is guaranteed to all tax-payers, and students will often simply attend the preschool closest to their residences. All preschools have school buses which pick up children at their homes before their parents must leave for work. Eckish preschools are very popular, with more than 98.6% of Eckish people having attended preschool.

### Primary

Primary school, or *lõhvskool* ("basic school"), is for children aged between six and fourteen in grades one through eight. Primary school lasts for the entire duration of compulsory schooling, and is the method in which 87.4% of Eckish students complete their compulsory education.

### Academy

Academy, or *akadeemia*, is a twelve-year long educational program that exists in major cities in Eckland. Each academy consists of a primary school (grades 1–8) and an upper secondary school (grades 9–12), which are housed in one large building. Academy differs from the traditional primary/upper secondary path of education slightly. In order to attend an academy, students must apply and be accepted. Most academies are very prestigious, so more students are turned away than are accepted. Each academy also has a specific academic focus, often ranging from foreign language to music to art to science, and anything else.

Apart from the selectiveness and academic rigor, academy does not differ much from other methods of schooling in what is taught. All students are taught the same subjects that are taught in other schools, there is just more emphasis placed on the subject that the academy focuses on. Students can apply for an academy at any point in their education, although most students apply to begin in either grade 1, grade 6, or grade 9.