Theocracy of Xochimechatl
EDUCATION

Providers of Education
There is no state educational system present in Xochimechatl, meaning that all education in the country comes from sources other than the government. Many local authorities provide educational establishments within their areas, and various temples also provide education to certain people.

Municipal and Private Schools
Secular primary and secondary schools vary a great deal throughout the country, mostly as a result of the background of the region they are in. If a school is in an area where the majority of the population is ethnically Lendian, it will probably be based around the Lendian educational system. Most of these schools were established during the Lendian occupation, and teach a curriculum based around the same things as would be taught in Lendia. Schools in majority Couatlan or majority Chitec regions, however, will usually be based on the traditional Chitec educational system, which was originally used solely in the Chitec Empire but which later spread southwards. They were promoted in the era when the government was attempting to reduce the control held over education by the religious authorities of the island. These schools are not associated with any particular religion, and teach a curriculum focusing primarily on mathematics, science, Couatlan language, and Lendian language.

Temple Schools
Religious schools are established by one (or more) of the nine Temples which exist in Xochimechatl. They are usually funded directly by the central temple authorities. These schools are reserved for followers of that particular religion, and have a heavy emphasis on religious studies. Many of them also set students up for priesthood in the temple concerned. These schools are loosing popularity, however, as many parents believe that the curriculums found in secular schools will do their children more good in the modern world than spending most of their time studying religion will - the secular schools tend to teach things which are of more practical use.

Equality
Educational opportunity is fairly equal in modern Xochimechatl. Almost all children in Xochimechatl now receive some form of education, and the significant majority complete high school. Few people attend university, however, primarily due to the high cost and lack of subsidy (most local authorities do not provide education at a tertiary level). Because there is no central control over this education, however, standards vary quite considerably.

Because of the general lack of wealth in Xochimechatl, education is generally not very well funded. Unfortunately, some areas have better funding than others, meaning that the quality of education is not constant throughout the country.

There is no discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, or ethnicity in the secular schools, but the same cannot always be said for religious schools. All religious schools other than those administered by the United Monasteries reject applicants who do not follow the religion of the temple concerned, and many of them place other restrictions on applicants as well. For example, the Temple of Teotlatolli's religious schools are reserved for males, and the Church of San Alandro does not accept homosexuals.

 

The Theocracy of Xochimechatl is a fictional state on the world of Vexillium.