Chapter 228: Morally Questionable East Africa
May 23, 1870
"Your Majesty, here are the top students from each region's exams this year, over five hundred in total. Excluding those whose parents refused to let them go abroad, only two hundred or so remain. Among them, most support comes from families of German and Far Eastern immigrants."
"Mm. If they don't want to go, we won't force them. It's a matter of mutual willingness; studying abroad may or may not be beneficial. But our East Africa is currently too backward, so we have no choice but to learn from the world's great powers."
"But, Your Majesty, we shouldn't say we're so backward. Just the fact that we've implemented universal compulsory education is already amazing. Our East African Kingdom was only just founded, but it's bound to surpass other countries down the road."
"Don't be conceited! We must stay humble and work hard. Being behind is being behind; there's no excusing it. This group of students heading to Europe must be well taken care of. Let them experience the best education in Germany and Austria, so that once they finish their studies, they can come back and build up East Africa."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"And also, since their families entrust their children's futures to us, we must do the job well. Who dares entrust their own child's fate to others? We cannot betray that trust. Ensure these foreign students have decent meals, proper nutrition, and that we provide their textbooks, pens, and all learning supplies. They should have someone assigned to manage and look after their daily needs."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
On May 30, in the name of the state, the East African Kingdom sent a total of 243 students to study in Austria and Prussia.
Speaking of education, the East African Kingdom truly can't compete: low average schooling, high illiteracy, and its so-called compulsory education is basically building a tower on flat ground before even laying the foundation. Counting back over three years as a colony plus the newly established kingdom, the earliest batch of elementary students haven't even graduated, so this first group of foreign students can only be chosen from among older children.
…
"Maklov, the neighbor next door sent his son back to Europe for school. Our kid's grades are better—maybe we made a poor decision?" Maklov's wife asked uneasily.
"Schooling? Bah! Back in Europe, I never saw many folks attend classes. Everyone's doing fine, right?"
Maklov's so-called "Europe" was actually Tsarist Russia. Born a peasant serf, he well knew how little education the common folk got.
"And anyway, now the government forces that 'compulsory education.' I see it as enough for him to learn to read and write a bit, read the government bulletins—that's all we need."
"But…"
"But nothing. Trust me. We're not nobles. Studying can't fill your stomach. If it weren't for mandatory schooling, I'd never let my son go. Better for him to stay home tending crops, raising chickens, helping us in the fields or around the house rather than sitting in some classroom!" Maklov insisted.
Thanks to competition with Chinese immigrants, Western-style ornamental gardens in East Africa often gave way to farmland and orchards; after all, pretty landscaping won't feed people. Still, not everything was replaced—some decorative flowers remain. Even Chinese folks learned from Europeans to plant a few ornamental things.
Switching scenes, at the neighbors' home:
"Karl, little Karl is so young, sending him abroad alone is just too dangerous!"
"What's to fear? The government promised to take care of them. Even staying in East Africa might not be better than going to Europe."
"But he's only eleven!"
"Hmph. Eleven is old enough. I was ten when I started helping my parents farm. Little Karl is more educated, so let him go to Europe for higher education. Besides, Germany is our ancestral root. Letting him immerse in German culture is a good thing. Yes, East Africa is fine, but on culture we must look to Germany."
Simultaneously, in a mixed Chinese-Paraguayan household:
"Hans! Frank's so little, sending him alone to Europe—doesn't it seem unwise?" asked Petra, a Paraguayan wife, worriedly.
"What's to be afraid of? There's a saying in my homeland: 'All pursuits are beneath scholarship.' Before, we had no chance, but now that we do, why not let our son go explore? If he stays with us farming, how far can he go?"
"I see nothing wrong with farming! Venturing out is too risky."
"What do you know? Farming's tedious. If Frank just wields a pen, he'll make more than both of us combined. Maybe he'll even get an official post. Look at our village head—didn't he only qualify because he could read and write?"
…
The first wave of overseas students set out from Dar es Salaam—108 heading to Austria, the rest to Prussia or other German states, possibly to university after finishing secondary schooling. Though they were young, most were bright and had an interest in learning. They'd topped their local "free-range" schooling, then passed the central government's exams.
"Make sure you keep your name-tags safe. Remember your address every day, don't forget the way home."
"Once in Europe, at school, you must keep in mind you're there to learn. Don't worry what classmates think. If someone asks, just say you're from the East African Kingdom, and add that you're German, too."
"If anything's troubling you, contact your supervisors or teachers. Meals, lodging, and so on are covered by the government—just focus on studying…"
Aboard ship, staff repeated these reminders. To reassure the students' parents further, East Africa opened a telegraph line from Europe, allowing them to send one telegram every three months. East Africa's two trunk telegraph lines reached the interior, and from there the postal service would deliver messages to the students' families. The cost alone was considerable, revealing how seriously the government was taking this effort.
Challenges for these students won't be in the classroom as much as facing discrimination and culture shock. Yet there's no solution, and the first batch will inevitably be the hardest off. At least they're going to Germany, where it's easier to integrate and fit the culture. They have German as a passkey, plus Europe generally sees East Africa as a German state. That can't be changed. In other parts of Europe, a "German" identity might not help much—but in Germany itself, it's enough.
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