Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Founding a Girls' School
Lin Si collected exorbitant tuition fees from the students who came to study abroad. He neither deposited the money into the national treasury nor used it for other purposes.
Instead, the entire amount was allocated to the Ministry of Education.
There was only one purpose, to establish the first girls' school in Da'an.
Lin Si has only been on the throne for a short time. No matter how rapidly Da'an develops, it will still take time to fully implement compulsory education.
The daughters of officials and merchants had the opportunity to study and take the entrance exams to universities, but that was based on their families' good economic conditions.
Ordinary families now generally let their daughters go to school, even if it is just to enter a technical school.
But in poorer families, these are not considerations.
They don't know that studying can change their destiny, nor do they understand the difference between attending a technical school and a middle school. Speaking of university to them, it seems even more distant.
Even though girls can become officials nowadays, if there is a place for a student in the family, it must belong to the son.
Lin Si hopes that more girls from ordinary families can move forward, and she will build bridges for them first.
Wen Yun had done an excellent job banning brothels, and after completing her mission, she was promoted directly to the Ministry of Education. This time, Wen Yun volunteered to select a site for the girls' school.
Since she had experience in banning brothels, Zuo You approved her to go to Xiguang Road to cooperate with the work.
Wen Yun was a little dazed on the way to Xiguang Road. When she first banned brothels, she also traveled like this for a long time.
Although business trips are tiring, she doesn't reject this feeling.
Wen Yun had always known that the second life she and her sisters had received was granted by His Majesty. Therefore, she would dedicate her life to serving His Majesty wholeheartedly.
Wen Yun had also been to Xiguang Road before.
It was a very poor place. Your Majesty has been on the throne for five years now, and while the material poverty here may have improved somewhat due to various policies, the mentality of poverty will not be reversed so quickly.
As Wen Yun got off the bus, she marveled at how much Xiguang Road had changed. Last year, the only elementary school on the entire road was built there, making it the last street in Da'an to have one.
Yan Xuanqing and Ding Shui attached great importance to the enrollment of students in the primary school. Even if Bai Zhi and others tried to persuade them, there were always people who were unwilling to send their children to school.
"What's the point of going to school? I might as well stay at home and farm. When I'm a few years older, I'll be the pillar of the family!"
"That's right. No matter how nicely you say it, isn't tuition still money?"
"No, no, no, no."
"What's the point of going to school? I know it all. Only those with good grades can continue their studies. How can our children compare to the children in the city? How can we pass the exams? We might as well just stay at home and farm."
"That's right, if you learn to farm, at least you won't starve to death in the future. But if you finish your studies halfway and come home without knowing how to farm, then you're doomed, right?"
"If you don't let your children go to school, then you'll be left behind in future policy benefits. Are you sure?"
"Oh, the county government is bullying people!"
As the saying goes, poor mountains and bad waters produce unruly people. Bai Zhi and his people are all educated, so they have never encountered such unruly people.
Some people were afraid that they would not be treated well in the future, so they planned to send only one of their sons to study.
They cried out with genuine emotion, "It's not that we don't want to send our children to school, it's simply that we need help with farming. My husband works in a cement factory, and we have three children and two elderly parents to support. How can we afford to send all three to school? Sending just one is already the limit. If he doesn't succeed, won't we be at a huge loss?"
Faced with such frankness, Bai Zhi was speechless.
Currently, student loans are only available to those who have been admitted to middle schools and technical schools. There are no student loans for primary schools.
In the end, ordinary farmers send very few children to school, and even if they do, they are all boys.
So Wen Yun's arrival made Yan Xuanqing very happy.
It turns out that Your Majesty also knows the current situation of Xiguang Road. Xihe Road, which was once the poorest, has long been out of reach of other roads.
The last one is rising rapidly, and the second to last one can only worry alone.
Wen Yun and Yan Xuanqing greeted each other politely, figured out the general distribution map of Xiguang Road, and then began their busy work.
The first thing she had to do was choose a location. She felt that Nanzhou, the provincial capital, would be a safer choice. Other poorer areas, without the governor's watchful eye, might cause trouble.
Built in the South State is the best.
The second issue was student recruitment. This Xiguang Road girls' school offered no tuition, and students who passed the entrance exam could apply for student loans. However, convincing the girls and their parents was the most difficult part.
Wen Yun then chatted with Bai Zhi, who had visited the place earlier, and identified several possible families.
Wen Yun and Bai Zhi politely knocked on the door. The peasant woman who opened the door saw that it was Bai Zhi again and said, "Sir, we told you last time that our family simply can't afford to send three children to school. You know our family situation. Our second child is already in school. Why are you here again today?"
Wen Yun knew the family's situation. There were three children in the family, two girls and one boy, and the boy was the second child.
Wen Yun smiled politely. "My lady, the reason I came to see you is because His Majesty wants to establish a girls' school in Xiguang Road. This school does not accept students."
The woman's eyes showed confusion. "Girls' school? What do you mean by a girls' school? No admission fees?"
Wen Yun patiently explained, "Not only is there no tuition fee, but also no charge for accommodation and food. As long as they have good grades and can continue their studies, they can even apply for student loans when they get to a university, so the family will spend almost nothing."
The woman subconsciously took a step back. "University? How can they possibly get into a university? I heard it's hard to get into a middle school even if you're from a primary school. Even if you get in, it's useless."
Wen Yun didn't explain much, but simply did the math for the woman. "Madam, if your two daughters went to a girls' school, where they'd have free food and lodging, you'd have two fewer mouths to feed. Wouldn't that be a huge burden? If they did well enough to attend middle school, and after graduation, they could go to work in a factory, they'd be qualified to become squad leaders. And if they could go to university, that would be even more impressive."
The woman was tempted, but she didn't agree immediately. "That's not right. I'll have two less mouths to feed, but I'll have one less person to help me with the housework and farming. It's not worth it."
Wen Yun continued, "They'll be in elementary school for three years, middle school for a year and a half, and four and a half years without having to eat any food from home. Isn't that a good deal?"
The woman's expression softened somewhat, but she still held a hint of doubt. "Last year, they only talked about attending elementary school, not this girls' school. No tuition fees, and free food and lodging. Is it really that good of a deal?"
Wen Yun raised an eyebrow and spoke softly, "Your Majesty has pity on us and wants women to have the opportunity to study."
In the yard, the woman's eldest daughter had been listening carefully to Wen Yun's words since she started talking about the girls' school.
She knew that life at home was not easy, and being able to send someone to study was already the result of Bai Zhi's persuasion, so she didn't dare to ask for anything more.
I only occasionally heard my brother talk about school and looked at the crossbody canvas bag he was carrying.
She always felt envious.
It would be great if she could go to school.
This girls' school is actually so good, providing food and accommodation and no tuition fees, so it won't cost the family any money.
An urge surged in her heart—she wanted to go...
Wen Yun saw that the woman must be moved, but she was not in a hurry to leave. She asked her husband where he worked.
Later, Wen Yun found the woman's husband at the cement factory.
When he learned that Wen Yun came from Anjing, he was extremely respectful - in his eyes, this was a high-ranking official whom he could not afford to offend.
Wen Yun talked about the girls' school and especially emphasized the point that "there is no tuition fee, and food and accommodation are provided."
The other party nodded repeatedly and said that he would go back and discuss with his wife to try to let both daughters go to school.
Yan Xuanqing wanted to talk to Wen Yun for a while, but he couldn't find the time. He couldn't help but sigh that the officials from Anjing were indeed very efficient.
Finally, at lunch time on the second day, the two of them had the opportunity to chat while eating.
Yan Xuanqing said, "I really admire the efficiency of Wen Xuesi. He just arrived yesterday, and he has already decided on a location and visited a household."
Yan Xuanqing sent out the site selection documents yesterday, and it will be delivered to the Anjing Ministry of Education in a few days.
Wen Yun smiled. "That's because Magistrate Yan hasn't even seen Prime Minister Liang's efficiency. I'm not even half as good as Prime Minister Liang."
The two of them talked about business again.
Wen Yun said, "The family I visited yesterday seems to agree. Now it depends on how they spread the news. Others will naturally settle the score."
Yan Xuanqing sighed slightly. "As long as the calculation is favorable to them, there should still be people willing to send their daughters to girls' school."
Yan Xuanqing always felt sorry for girls born into lower-class families. Most of their parents didn't truly love them, and most of them only cared about how to sell them for a good price.
Wen Yun said, "I will do my best to ensure that all girls who want to go to school can attend girls' schools. Even if they don't get into university or middle school, but only get into a technical school, it will still be a change in their lives."
Yan Xuanqing agreed. "Technical schools now offer a wide range of majors, including a new one this year: early childhood teacher training. Graduates of technical schools have excellent career prospects. Just one more option can change their lives."
Wen Yun lowered her head and whispered, "My life and the lives of many of my sisters were changed because of your Majesty's help."
The sisters who were in Fengyue Tower are all living well now - some open cram schools in Li County, some have their own small shops, and some sisters who were rescued have studied medicine. Everyone has a different job.
Yan Xuanqing and Wen Yun clinked glasses and then drank the tea in one gulp.
“I hope we can do this well and have a pleasant cooperation.”
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