I told you I'd get it done in only a few days. I knew I could do it.
===
Egypt, Summer 1918 - Education
===
Summer is marked by the USR putting the finishing touches on the refit of Egyptian ships and completing the eight destroyers ordered. The turn of the century ironclads had been up gunned, up armoured, and up-engined, all for a fairly modest price. They were redefined as light cruisers, modern and strong enough to take on the Macedonian cruiser that once loomed over Alexandria with moderate losses. Three of them plus full escort meant Egypt could defend its coastal waters, albeit in one or two places at once. It'd be enough to prevent any attempted landings or besiegement of the coastline. The heavy cruiser would take more time before it was finished. It would be delivered to Egypt in 1919 at the earliest.
When the ships arrived in Alexandria their new crews were delighted to discover messages in gift baskets in the bridge of each ship. Though small, they overflowed with letters from the shipwrights who refitted and built the ships, alongside assortments of jams, dried pastries, and other treats. The Egyptian sailors had to get their officers to read the letters as they were written in French.
They were greetings, well wishes, and cheers of solidarity. The elected foreman of the shipyard personally signed each and every letter, and wrote one for every ship. They were all the same, though only so that the message was clear in case something happened to one. A good bit of foresight on his part as several Venetian and Royalist officers tore up the letters upon seeing them and seized the goods for themselves. They did not get them all though. Socialist officers read the contents of each letter out to the assorted crews of sailors.
'To our fellow comrades in Egypt,
Though we may not be valiant sailors like yourself, we, the shipwrights of the USR, stand with you in your fight against imperialism in our way! May these ships safeguard your homes and secure the success of your revolution! All of us hope that these gifts find you all in good health and high spirits. We'd wanted to send liquor to truly lighten your spirits, however we've been told that Egypt is a dry country, so instead we offer up a taste of the British Isles.
I am happy to know that these ships will be used for your country's liberation and that I played a humble part in their construction. Though we are unlikely to ever meet in this life, I will think of each and every one of you as a friend.
- Henri Faber'
Cheering could be heard in the docks beside the Egyptian navy as the crews celebrated. The Venetian and Royalist officers did not approve of the gesture, especially the treats, but they were vetoed by the will of the sailors and fellow officers. The food was distributed as fairly as possible so that everyone could indeed enjoy a taste of Britain. Even the Islamists admitted it was considerate that no alcohol had been sent over as a gift.
===
Education.
Egypt was once a center of education in the Islamic World, in years past. The king had tried to reclaim that title by pouring funding into existing religious schools and training programs for civil servants. The program did not receive as much funding as the old royal army did which hampered its ability to reach the majority of the country. It did succeed in greatly expanding the core of professionals in the country.
French had been a widely used language among them. Egypt sought patrons and allies abroad, and the Dual Monarchy had been the most receptive to diplomatic overtures. Families that could afford to send their sons abroad to the Dual Monarchy did so, while the kingdom established officer academies filled with Anglois teachers. The use of Parisian French, known by its many names such as Formal French, Formal Anglois, High Anglois, London French, etc. entered the government and academia. It was through them and others that revolutionary ideas filtered into the country.
Those that could not send their sons abroad but still afford schooling sent them to schools run by mosques. Many of them gathered under the umbrella of Al-Azhar University. It was there that modern Arab thinkers would blossom, Islamists just one among their numbers. The king was happy to leave the work to religious affiliations. It saved the state money and got the job done well enough.
The majority of the people were denied access to most forms of education. The most they could hope for was joining the army or an imam taking them on as an apprentice. They would live, work, and die as tenant farmers in someone else's field.
When Venice dismantled the kingdom piece by piece, education was the first to suffer. It received less funding in general. The education crisis only worsened when the kingdom was dissolved and then the mandate created. Iskandar Drakos, prince of Macedonia, slashed the budget year after year to fund his megaprojects, education was one of his many victims. Literacy rate would stagnate, higher education was out of reach of nearly everyone, and existing personnel were let go.
That was until the AENC gained power.
For the first time in years, the ministry's budget wasn't cut to the bone and it was given enough money to stabilize itself. It was enough to keep the lights on and refill the ministry's holdings with rehired personnel. It'd even drawn up plans for how to spend its budget, and hoped that its funding would be increased too.
These hopes were dashed by Marcato. The massive loan taken out then sent off to pay off Venice's loan put a financial burden on the country without seeing anything come from it.
There were a few life lines though…
===
Issa received a phone call in his office from the German embassy in Alexandria. On the line was Meinrad Walter, a man the minister hadn't expected to see again, much less hear that he had requested a transfer to Egypt to stay in contact with the AENC. He feared official channels might make that difficult and wanted to be on the ground when he still had the opportunity. Germany was one of the countries that had given Egypt money and it expected repayment in full.
"The party is practically rioting over the news. It's a betrayal of our priciniples to get involved in this financial imperialism business," Walter apologetically said. Issa could hear him tut and imagined him shaking his head. "If we were in power we'd forgive the debt immediately. The best we can do until the next election is forward a line of credit to you. It should cover some expenses to ease the burden."
"Heer Walter, that's… a truly generous gesture for your party to do," Issa earnestly replied, taken aback by it. The money was coming directly out of the communist party's coffers, paid for by membership dues and state funding. He had barely spoken with the man, yet he'd upended his life to transfer to Egypt, all to remain in contact with the AENC. "We won't forget this kindness, thank you."
"It's the least we can do, comrade. The workers of Germany wouldn't hesitate to aid our fellow revolutionaries. As long as the Internationale still stands Egypt is never alone," Walter solemnly declared. "The KPD and our allies will do what we can to pressure Vienna into changing its mind, though I'm afraid I wouldn't hold my breath. They're dead set on it. It's part of their move to distance themselves from the Comintern."
"That's concerning news, I hope that your party can prevent that."
"We'll do what we can. Don't worry about that though, I'll be over within an hour with the details. We'll have this sorted out quickly…"
Gain: Education +1 Mini-Bug
===
Hakim received a visit from one of the Oxford professors that had come to Egypt as part of the medical training program. The doctor had received word from Professor Lewis that Oxford could provide Egypt a small amount of funding to put towards education. However that was the extent of the help he could offer. There weren't any more strings that Lewis could pull for Egypt.
It was enough though, and Hakim thanked the doctor for informing him and sent a telegram to his old professor.
Gain: Education +1 Mini-Bug
===
When the cabinet came together once more to handle Education, blood was in the water. The news of extra funding from allies had lifted the otherwise dour moods, so that the room was not unbearably tense. Glares were shot towards Marcato at the head of the table beside Hakim. The governor was not welcomed in the room, more so than he usually wasn't. Professional restraint kept the mutter below a dull murmur, loud enough that Marcato knew they were talking about him but quiet enough that he wouldn't be able to make out what they were saying. Only Salaam appeared nonplussed, a calm expression on his face as he assembled his own stack of paperwork in front of himself.
Hakim, Nadir, Issa, and Khouri were merely resigned. The unfortunate reality was the money given to Venice kept Italy out of their affairs. A steep price to pay for their continued nominal independence. They rather pay it than in blood. Eventually a hush fell over the room as everyone settled in. Nadir took point to summarize the situation to refresh the ministers memories.
The state of education in Egypt was lackluster. The literacy rate was roughly at 12% when the AENCgained power in 1916. That'd slowly risen over two years from several programs outside the ministry and its own work, though not quickly enough. It was tough to gauge but the ministry estimated that it had risen to above 20% for basic literacy, while higher education continued to lag behind. That was predominantly among men. For women it was unrecorded, assumed lower because they had limited to no access to education. women had limited access to education.
The majority of education was handled by private religious groups; mosques and churches. The majority of the former had ties with the Islamists, while the latter had funded the CAP. The churches' ability to fund schooling was reduced when their land was seized, however not by much. Most of the rent gained from tenant farmers went towards the party rather than providing services. Mosques meanwhile went from strength to strength. The land buyout provided them with plenty of funding on top of the money the Islamists continued to pump into their allies. The deal Salaam had struck with Hakim meant the government provided a steady stream of funding into Islamist associated schools too.
In a few short years they'd gained a significant advantage in controlling access to education. They had more mosques than the government had schools. Though they were nowhere close to providing total access to the majority of the population. Just to those lucky enough to be situated in more well off areas that received Islamist investment.
Several in the cabinet decried it as unfair for a single faction to assume so much control over what should be available to everyone. Salaam merely replied that the other party factions were free to invest into education too. The mosques had provided it for centuries and it was only natural that the Islamists would work with them to continue that tradition. Other ministries included basic education as part of their own training programs but none focused on it the same way the Islamists had.
The issue of funding and access aside, the exact content of government approved education covered had been previously left up in the air. It was a bare bones framework that lacked details, besides requiring loyalty to the government and respect for God. With how to teach respect and which god left up to institute discretion. ' There were no real standards across the country on what to teach people, even language and writing systems were hotly debated. It was a mess of contentious issues that everyone had an opinion on because it would shape not only the youth of the country, but adults too.
So, they began to discuss their options…
===
Please vote by plan.
Must pick at least one option per category unless noted otherwise.
Education Budget: 3 Mini-Bug
===
Increase Funding? The question of taking on a bit more money to put towards education is raised. The cabinet knows that it will make that money back during the future diplomatic trip to the Black Sea Pact. Egypt can survive at -4 for a bit longer. There's serious concerns raised about taking on that much debt, even if it's being invested back into the country.
[ ][FUN] Yes. Gain +3 Mini-Bug. Government Budget becomes -5
[ ][FUN] No. No change to Ministry or Government Budget.
===
Defunding: There are several programs that have passed over the years that tangentially touch on education without it being their whole focus. It's suggested that their funding get dropped so that the money could be better spent on directly providing education. It wasn't a solution liked by many at the table but put there as an option nonetheless.
Do not need to pick any
[ ][DEF] Peasant Militias
They no longer receive money to run their education programs. They will have to focus on acting as reservists first and foremost, which is what a majority of their funding will be spent on. Members may spend their wages from the Farmer's Syndicate and Military to try to make up the difference, but it can only do so much. Gain +1 Mini-Bug
[ ][DEF] Islamist Schools
Hakim had previously promised Salaam that the government would provide funding for Islamist schools, which are private, religious ones run out of mosques. It'd only make sense to transfer that money back to the ministry to be spent on public education. The mosques will be fine without the money, but they won't appreciate the competition. Gain +1 Mini-Bug
===
Nationalize: The possibility of nationalizing private schools is floated. It'd give the government physical control over the buildings and supplies, though it's likely that the staff wouldn't appreciate the sudden change of employer. Some would no doubt remain, though not many. It'd leave the government with a lot of empty buildings but few teachers. It'd also likely anger the patron of the private schools.
Do not need to pick any
[ ][NAT] Islamist Schools
It's technically not defunding them, though Salaam is unlikely to approve that it's staying within the spirit of the deal he struck with Hakim. It'd also anger many mosques in Egypt since the Islamists use them as school houses. Angers Al-Azhar University, which runs many of them indirectly and has ties across the Arab world.
[ ][NAT] Copt Schools
A promise made to the former minister, Mina Psoy, was that the government would not touch Copt private schools. Many of them operate out of churches which run the same problem as above, however they do have a number of dedicated school buildings that could easily be turned into public schools.
[ ][NAT] Foreign Private Schools
Catholics, Protestant, Taiping, and Orthodox missionaries all set up their own private schools in Egypt. They mostly exist to try to convert people to their faith, though many cater to European families in Egypt. While it'd anger many religious organizations, it'd give the government a wealth of buildings, materials, and staff, as many of the teachers are converted Egyptians. They are expected to stay on afterwards. The downside is their religious views will come through even if told not to. The zeal of the converted is not easily cowed.
===
Language: The language that education will be taught in and what will be taught is a highly contentious one. Arabic is the language spoken by the majority of the country, indeed it's rare for a native to not know how to speak it. They'd have to go out of their way to avoid it. Coptic has made a resurgence in recent decades though it is mostly limited to Copts. Many of whom are bilingual. Ladino is another notable minority language among Sephardi Jews, who've spread it to Mizrahi Jews. French is another language spoken by many in the government and military, though nobody in Egypt learns it as a first language.
Belatedly, Nubians are remembered to exist in the south. They have their own language, though they are not a priority for many ministers. They're nowhere near the major population centers in the Nile Delta, and many already speak Arabic to one degree or another. They're quickly put out of mind as quickly as they come up.
This is for public education programs. Universities can teach whatever language they want.
[ ][LAN] Mandated Bilingualism.
Students must learn Arabic and one other language. May receive instruction in their own language.
[ ][LAN] Optional Bilingualism.
Students must learn Arabic, and are encouraged but not required to learn another language. May receive instruction in their own language.
[ ][LAN] On Request.
Students must learn in Arabic. Instruction in other languages available to minorities upon request, provided there's staff capable of fulfilling the request. May not receive instruction in their own language.
[ ][LAN] Arabic Only.
Minority languages will only be taught in private schools and places of worship.
===
Writing: In addition to what language should be taught the question is raised on how to write it. Egypt currently uses Arabic with an older, unmodified and undated system that it's used for centuries, with a small lingering influence from Ottoman-Turkish Arabic from when the kingdom was part of the Empire. Classic Arabic is beautiful, flowing, and unfortunately a touch difficult to teach quickly. Everyone agrees an improvement needs to be made, but the point of contention is how.
[ ][WRI] Modern Standard Arabic
A project of Arab linguists for years has borne fruit. It updated the language, streamlined the writing, and added thousands of new words. It's done its best to avoid importing words from other languages and create new ones out of existing Arabic words. It's extremely popular across the Muslim world.
[ ][WRI] Romanized Arabic
The other option is to switch to a Latin alphabet. Linguists have already done it. Egypt would only have to adopt it. It would however require a complete reprint of literally everything in the country. It's not popular either. The upside though is it'd be easier for foreigners to learn. Costs: 1 Mini-Bug
===
Women: Salaam and the other Islamist minister raise the issue of female education. They argue against it. They claim that it's not only a waste of time and resources, but improper for girls to be in a classroom with boys, and for women to teach boys. They have no place in modern schools. If they are to be admitted into education it'd be a specialized program with a reduced scope meant to teach the skills necessary to be proper housewives and mothers.
[ ][WOM] Ban women from public education
They'll have to fight just to learn how to read. Socialists will be angry.
[ ][WOM] Housewife training courses
Their place is in the home, not thinking for themselves.
[ ][WOM] Don't ban women from public education
No one is denied access to education. Islamists will be angry.
===
Hijabs: In addition to whether women should even be allowed to learn how to read and write, Salaam believes that all female staff and students must wear hijabs at all times at work. Again saying it'd be improper for them not to be. He doesn't think they should be at schools at all, but if they are then they should be covered up. Failure to do so will result in being fired for teachers and expelled from school for students.
[ ][HIJ] Mandatory. They have no say in the matter.
[ ][HIJ] Optional. Their choice to wear them.
[ ][HIJ] Ban. They may wear them outside school but not in school.
===
School Content: The bare minimum program that will be taught in public and private schools. It's the broad strokes of content, rather than picking out the minutiae of every possible course that could be taught. The ministers began shouting at each other for what should be taught in schools. Fists are raised and shaken threateningly with rude gestures received in turn.
Needless to say, whichever argument comes out on top will gain a serious advantage in the future. Whichever side does not come out on top will be pissed, the severity depending on how far removed they are from the winning option.
[ ][CON] Marxist Internationalism with Arab Characteristics
The left of the party. Egypt is one of many colonized peoples struggling against imperialism, though it's poised to help liberate fellow Arabs and Africans. Socialism means the abolishment of capitalism. Students will learn more communist in-depth theory as part of their education.
[ ][CON] Arab Socialism
The party line. Egypt is but one part of the wider Arab world. Socialism may break the chains of imperialism to build a better future for itself. Students will learn basic socialist theory as part of their education.
[ ][CON] Nationalistic Ba'athism
The right of the party. Egypt is the leader of the Arab world. It requires a strong leader to seize that destiny and guide the rest of the Arab world into the future, by force if necessary. Socialism means state control of vital industries and regulation of private markets, nothing more.
[ ][CON] Pan-Islamism
The far right of the party. Egypt is a pillar of the Islamic world and should take its place as its leader once again. Islam is the center of social life that holds society together. It's the force that fights back against Western imperialism. The study of the Quran and other religious texts will be paramount in education.
===
Programs: The programs and buildings that the ministry will be spending its limited budget on. There is less shouting among the cabinet in deciding where the money goes, since everyone agrees it should be spent.
[ ][PRO] Expand Existing Schools. Costs 1 Mini-Bug. Focus on existing schools in major towns and cities to increase capacity.
[ ][PRO] Agronomy College. Costs 1 Mini-Bug. Hakim is once again suggesting a specialized school to teach farming and farming related professions.
[ ][PRO] Public Libraries. Costs 1 Mini-Bug. Build, fill, and staff public libraries in major towns and cities across the Nile Delta.
[ ][PRO] Rural Schools. Costs 2 Mini-Bug. Devote specific attention towards rural communities outside of the major towns and cities. Will cover a significant portion of the population.
[ ][PRO] University Expansion. Costs 2 Mini-Bug. Universities will be expanded, new staff hired, and made available to the people free of charge, if they qualify of course.
