Education in the Velkanian Isles

The responsibility for the **education system in the Velkanian Isles** is delegated to the federal government. The system is divided into four major groupings: preschool, primary, upper secondary/high, and higher.

Education is mandatory for children ages 6–16; this makes up the entirety of primary school. Students first have the option to enter school at age 2, and most finish their schooling at age 19. 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 a strict separation of church and state, public schooling cannot have any affiliation to a religious body; thus, due to the rarity of private schooling, religious schooling is almost unheard of.

## Levels

The Velkanian education system is composed of four levels: preschool, primary, upper secondary, and higher education.

### Preschool

Preschool, or *lítilsköli* ("little school"), is non-compulsory education for those between the ages of two and six. It is the first level of the Velkanian 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 Velkanian 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 the Velkanian Isles, as tuition fees are covered through taxation. Private preschools also exist, and are commonly associated with wealthy and the Velkanian nobility; these private preschools have tuition fees typically about $2,500 per year, and do not accept all applicants. There have been efforts in years to outlaw private preschools, as they are the only form of private education in the Velkanian Isles that is not highly regulated.

In preschool, an emphasis is placed on learning through interaction with others and learning through playing. All preschools are equipped with playgrounds for the children. In most preschools, children are grouped together by age group, with 2–3 year olds together, and 4–5 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. While admission to a preschool is guaranteed for all Velkanian tax-payers, some preschools do not have space for all the children in their area, so some students must attend preschools further away; in determining who receives space at a preschool, priority is given to the children of single parents, students, and children with special needs. As preschool is non-compulsory, many parents decide to not have their children attend. Paid parental leave ends after three years, so most preschool students begin at age three, although they may begin a year earlier if their parents wish. Some parents opt to take non-paid parental leave for an additional three years until their children begin primary school at age six, while others have grandparents or other relatives watch their children, or hire child care professionals such as nannies instead of sending them to preschool. In 2017, approximately 45.6% of Velkanian children between the ages of two and six were enrolled in a preschool.

### Primary

Primary school, or *méntrasköli* ("major school"), is the only compulsory level of education, and also the longest. It lasts for ten years, beginning when a child is six, and concluding when a child is sixteen. Primary school can generally be broken up into two halves: primary education and lower secondary education. Primary education lasts for the first five years, between the ages of six and eleven; students have the same teacher and classmates for all five years of primary education, and they are taught basic subjects such as Velkanian, Forsish, history, natural sciences, mathematics, art and music, physical education, and English. Lower secondary education lasts for the final five years, between the ages of eleven and sixteen; students now have several different teachers and classmates for each subject. In addition to the subjects from primary education, they are also taught social sciences, home economics, life skills, health and sexual education, and an extra modern language of their choosing. Primary education and lower secondary education are both held in the same school building, but typically in separate wings.

Like preschool, primary school is entirely free for tax-payers, as it is funded through taxation. Students are given the right to attend primary school in the area that they live, so overcrowding is not a problem that students will face consequences for; it is the responsibility of the school to accommodate all students in the area. While it is compulsory, it is the responsibility of parents to register their children; the government sends application papers to the homes of families with children approaching the age of six, but no further reminders are given. Students with special needs also receive the right to attend primary school in their area, and typically are placed in special contained classes with special education teachers.

Private schools in the Velkanian Isles are most common in the form of primary schools. These schools charge tuition fees, but are mandated by law to be coeducational. Typical private primary schools charge around $5,000 per year for primary education, and $7,500 per year for lower secondary education. Approximately 2.3% of Velkanian primary school students are enrolled in a private school, mostly reserved for the wealthy.

 6–10

#### Assessment

In the Velkanian Isles, very few standardized tests exist. In primary school, no standardized tests are given. Each teacher is given the freedom to test their students however they'd like, and some may give final examinations while others may not. There are two terms per school year; at the end of each term, a student receives a grade of 0 to 8 in each of their subjects. A 0–2 is considered a failing grade, 3–6 are considered average, while 7–8 are considered of high academic quality. Pluses or minuses may be added to the numerical grade in order to more closely express where students fall on the spectrum.

The main purpose of primary school (particularly lower secondary education) is to ease the transition to upper secondary education, and to help students choose an academic plan of focus. All throughout lower secondary education, students frequently meet with academic advisors who help them apply to upper secondary schools and choose academic plans they are interested in. Because of this, grades are often considered less of a priority than a student discovering what they'd like their academic path to be.

In addition to grading students, Velkanian law requires that schools hold internal assessments with students and teachers; through this, each year students are asked of the quality of their teachers and overall school, while teachers are asked of the quality of the school's administrators and infrastructure. Schools are assessed as a whole externally by the Ministry of Education and Culture every five years.

### Upper secondary

Upper secondary education, or *hógtsköli* (translated as "high school" and often called that in English-language sources), is non-compulsory education for students between the ages of sixteen and nineteen. While it is non-compulsory, it is very rare to not attend upper secondary education, as the career prospectives for those who do not attend are very slim. Like all other schools in the Velkanian Isles, upper secondary schools are both coeducational and tuition-free. Upper secondary education can be divided into two tracks: gymnasium (*gímnasköli*) and technical school (*teknasköli*).

Gymnasium lasts for three years and is designed for students wishing to go to a university. About 45.7% of upper secondary students are enrolled in a gymnasium. Gymnasiums have more admissions requirements than technical schools, typically requiring high grades in primary school and teacher recommendations; some gymnasiums are more well-regarded than others, and may reject hundreds of students every year. While in a gymnasium, students can enroll in one of five programs: social sciences, natural sciences and mathematics, literature and modern languages, business and law, or general academics. The general academics program is unique, as it allows students to select certain aspects of each of the other programs in order to create their own academic program; however, students in the general academic program also must study at least two classes from every other academic program, which makes the program undesirable for some. While the five programs exist as the main academic focus for students in a gymnasium, students must still complete general education requirements in their first year of schooling; by their final year of gymnasium, almost their entire academic schedule is devoted to their program. Every gymnasium in the Velkanian Isles must offer all five programs since 1984, although some schools are more well-known for or devote more attention to certain programs over others. Switching between programs in the middle of upper secondary school is relatively easy if a student is remaining within the same school, although to switch to a different school entirely requires a transfer application and an acceptance from the school. The final year of gymnasium ends with the Velkanian Matriculation Exams, which are university-entrance exams that must be taken if a student wishes to attend a university.

Technical school lasts for two years for most programs, although some high-intensity programs also last for three. It is designed for students planning to enter the workforce immediately after graduation, and instead of a university-entrance exam, technical school programs typically end with career-certification exams. Approximately 54.3% of students in upper secondary school were enrolled in a technical school. There are numerous programs that fit into technical schools; some of these programs include cosmetology, real estate, art, music, welding, nurse assisting, carpentry, plumbing, and many other programs. Typically, technical schools are large and house many different programs inside of them. Unlike gymnasiums, acceptance rates are almost 100%, and students are only turned away from programs if there is no more space; in the event of this, students rejected are typically admitted to a second or third-choice program or given admission to the same program at a different school. The first year of technical school education is a combination of technical education and general education academic requirements. The second year then transitions to exclusively hands-on technical education, and culminates in students being certified in their selected industry by their graduation. Some high-intensity programs, such as aviation, certain medical professions, dental assisting, and others, last three years; both the second and third years are devoted to technical education, while students do not become certified until the end of their third year.

While gymnasiums are the only schools that prepare students specifically for a university education, students enrolled in a gymnasium do not need to attend university, and students enrolled in a technical school are not barred from applying to or attending a university. While the Velkanian Matriculation Exam is only offered in gymnasiums, those enrolled in a technical school who wish to take the exam are allowed to do so, provided they pay a small fee to the school they are visiting to take the exam. Many institutions offer night classes for adults hoping to earn certifications. This is primarily done in technical schools, for adults who wish to become certified in an industry they did not study in school. One of the most common programs for night schooling is education; most technical school teachers receive their education credentials through night time education courses at a technical school.

#### Assessment

Unlike in primary school, testing is required in upper secondary school after the end of each term. While teachers can choose in what medium they test their students (written, oral, etc.), they must all give midterm examinations and final examinations. Like in primary school, students receive a grade of 0 to 8 in each of their subjects. A 0–2 is considered a failing grade, 3–6 are considered average, while 7–8 are considered of high academic quality. Pluses or minuses may be added to the numerical grade in order to more closely express where students fall on the spectrum.

### Higher education

The final level of schooling in the Velkanian Isles is higher education, known as *úníversköli* ("university-school"). There are ten universities in the Velkanian Isles; eight of these universities are public schools: University of Central Velkania, University of Jællkullythárjókur, University of Naríthjábæk, University of Northern Velkania, University of Olobethia, University of Riksania, University of Velkania, and Velkanian State University. Two of them, are privately-run: Velkanian Women's University and Forsish University of the Velkanian Isles. All public universities are coeducational and funded through taxation. Velkanian Women's University is a university for women, while the Forsish University of the Velkanian Isles is coeducational; both charge tuition fees. Bachelor's degrees often take three-years to complete, while master's degrees often take two-years to complete. For more career-specific degrees such as law and medicine, these three-year bachelor's and two-year master's systems do not apply.

Each university is governed by a Senate, which makes administrative decisions on behalf of the university. Additionally, every university has a President, who acts as the head of the Senate and chief decision-maker. The President is appointed by the Senate following a series of interviews, while the Senate consists of a number of the university's faculty members who are elected by their peers.

#### Admission

Most undergraduates who are applying to university right after finishing upper secondary school are admitted to university based on their grades in upper secondary school, scores on the Velkanian Matriculation Exams, and a personal essay. For students who are applying to a program such as art, music, performing arts, or something similar, grades, a personal essay, and an audition or portfolio are required instead of the Velkanian Matriculation Exams. Thus, students who attend a technical school and wish to pursue university education in a subject like art do not need to take the Velkanian Matriculation Exams.

Admission largely depends on the faculty that the student is applying to. Each faculty operates as their own quasi-school, with varying acceptance rates. A student can apply to several faculties within one university, and receive acceptance to some but rejection to others. Some faculties are referred to instead as institutes; these are largely career-specific schools, with longer degree programs than at a typical faculty. Students apply to university from May to early-June, and receive their acceptance letters by late-July.

#### Student finance and housing

Students at public universities do not pay tuition fees, and only a small enrollment fee that is typically around $200. However, private universities may charge around $20,000 per semester.

Student housing does not exist at Velkanian universities, so there are no student dormitories or specific residences where students must live. Many students typically attend the university that is closest to them, and students living in towns isolated from a big city with a university often do not attend university, as technical schools tend to be more popular there. However, for students who are unable to commute from home, such as international students, each university has a body that exists solely with assisting students find temporary and permanent housing in commuter distance to the school.

## Educators

In the Velkanian Isles, educators are divided into four separate categories: early childhood teachers, standard teachers, lecturers, and professors.

### Early childhood teachers

Early childhood teachers can only be employed in daycares, or other forms of childcare for children ages two to six. Early childhood education certification is the only form of education that does not require a gymnasium degree or university degree; instead, these teachers are certified through a two-year program at a technical school. After completing this program, they will work mandatory apprenticeships at a preschool for one year, until being able to work freely as an early childhood teacher in the Velkanian Isles.

### Standard teachers

There are several ways of becoming a standard teacher. The most common way is to pursue a gymnasium degree, and then to go on to university in order to receive a bachelor's degree. If a student studies education in university, they will graduate with credentials to work as a standard teacher at any primary school after completing a six-month long apprenticeship at a primary school while in the final year of their university studies. If the student studies something other than education in university, they may attend a year-long night time education program at a technical school, which will grant them teaching credentials to teach at a primary school following a six-month apprenticeship at a primary school during the program. In primary schools, standard teachers typically teach primary education and speciality classes, although they are still certified to teach lower secondary education.

If the student did not receive a university degree, instead attending a technical school, they may also pursue a night time education program. However, their program will be two-years long, and they must complete a one-year apprenticeship. Most standard teachers who had a technical school education go on to teach technical education at technical schools.

### Lecturers

Lecturers are the only kind of teachers who may teach at more than one levels of education. All lecturers must have a gymnasium degree, bachelor's degree in a specific academic subject, and a master's degree in education. While completing their master's degree, they will complete a six-month apprenticeship at either a primary school or upper secondary school, if they did not already do so during their bachelor's degree studies. After completing this apprenticeship and graduating with their master's degree, they may teach at a primary school, gymnasium, or as an academic teacher at a technical school. Speciality teachers such as physical education, art, and music teachers at gymnasiums do not need to be lecturers, and only need standard teacher certifications.

In primary schools, lecturers typically only teach lower secondary education. They are more commonly found in upper secondary education.

### Professors

Professors are the most highly-regarded educators in the Velkanian Isles, although the highest-paid educators are lecturers. Most professors must have a gymnasium degree, bachelor's degree, and a doctorate. Professors do not need any sort of training in education, but while pursuing their doctorates, most professors apprentice as teacher's assistants in bachelor-level courses at universities. Professors for career-specific subjects such as medicine, law, art, or any others, do not need doctorates, and instead simply need experience in their field, which is determined at the discretion of the university's Senate.