NationStates Jolt Archive

..::Imperial News Network Headline News::..

A recent reivew of the Education Service's budget by internal auditors has resulted in a cut in the budget by nearly three trillion. Said Sofie Rayner, Director of Education, "Students will not suffer from these cuts, mandatory spending per student will remain static. What has happaned is that the audit showed massive waste in the discretionary budget as a result of unfinished and over-budget projects undertaken by schools. As such, the discretionary budget has been eliminated and stricter spending standards for schools will be enforced."

According to sources, when it became known among the Empress' advisors that the Education Service accounted for three trillion dollars in waste, First Sea Lord and Admiral of the Fleet Sir Sven Jorgenssen began a quiet but steady campaign to use that money to fund an expansion of the Imperial Navy. Second Sea Lord (Bureau of Planning) and Fleet Admiral Kain Cameron has long complained about the vulnerability of certain overseas territories because of the necessity of using fleets based in one or more Duchies to cover another. It is apparent that the Imperial Navy's top flag officers saw an opportunity to provide greater security and siezed upon it with vigor, because both the Empress and the Imperial Senate approved their request.

Exact details are unknown at this time, but rumor is that the planned expansion will only happen in the area of warships and that the expansion is to be "massive". Stay tuned for further details as they become available.

..::Imperial News Network Military News::..


The Imperial Navy has finally released the figures for the new ship-building cue. In exactly four years, following almost immediately on the heals of the completion of the new battlecruisers, the following ships will be constructed:

Gehenna class SDV: 15 (150 billion USD per year per batch/1 batch)
Halcyon class SD: 192 (280 billion USD per year per batch/2 batches)
Morrigan class CVAN: 80 (88 billion USD per year per batch/2 batches)
Macha class CVN: 40 (6 billion USD per year per batch/4 batches)
Tenchu class BCGN: 120 (192 billion USD per year per batch/4 batches)
Galicia class CAN: 240 (264 billion USD per year per batch/5 batches)
Alexander I Larsen class CGN: 240 (240 billion USD per year per batch/5 batches)
Minotaur class DDAN: 360 (240 billion USD per year per batch/6 batches)
Osiris class DDGN: 360 (240 billion USD per year per batch/6 batches)
Morningstar class DDKN: 360 (240 billion USD per year per batch/6 batches)
Svaerd class SSN: 360 (225 billion USD per year per batch/6 batches)
Clan Grant class AORN: 360 (36 billion USD per year per batch/10 batches)

The total construction effort will take 30 years and cost 22.46 trillion USD, fourteen trillion USD of which will go to capital ships alone. At the end of the expansion period the Imperial Navy will boast more than 8,400 ships and will have cemented itself as one of the world's most powerful sea-going forces.

[bump]

[OOC: SS, what is your IC and OOC view on the education system and budget?]

[Well, I try to run the Imperium like I would a nation IRL, as it's likely to be my only chance to do so. As such, the views are pretty much compatable. I think it's the duty of a nation's government to provide for their citizens the best primary education possible. Coming out of high school, whether public or private, a student is required to have an extensive knowledge in what is collectively known as social studies (geography, history, government, etc.), math (up to trig), the sciences (physics and chemistry are a requirement), computers (various courses, none of them easy passes), phys ed (there is no generic PE class, it's divided into specific games and activities to help boost interest and participation), English, one other language besides English and the one taken as a pass requirement in 6-8, plus any electives. Sports and/or other aftero-school activities are encouraged, but not required.

The thing with Imperial schools that sets them apart, beyond the obviously high standards, is that to advance to the next grade a student is required to pass the Imperial Proficiency Battery Test for each grade level; grades in class are important, but actual knowledge more so. The second thing is that as a student goes from grade school, to middle school, and finally to high school the classes become tougher and the days longer, which is the opposite from what one typically sees in schools. Also, students have a one-month wind down period between school years and only a few holidays during the school year, which largely explains the average graduation of 16.

Basically, ignorance is an unacceptable attribute for a citizen of the Imperium and has a great deal of social stigma attached to it. That's not to say people are intellectual snobs, far from it, but a great education is available for what is basiclly free and students are expected to take it.]

OOC: I'm not sure how I follow the logical conclusion of "hmmm, we have too much money for makin' the youngsters smart, so lets get some big ole' warships!"

OOC: I'm not sure how I follow the logical conclusion of "hmmm, we have too much money for makin' the youngsters smart, so lets get some big ole' warships!"


[Did you not read the initial post? The money alloted to the fleet wasn't being spent effectively on education, in fact it was akin to throwing 3 trillion USD a year down a black hole. Better to send the money to a government body that would spend it effectively. At least that's the IC explanation. The OOC explanation is that I finally got some census data on student populations and, as I already knew about where my average funding per student was, applied a bit of multiplication; the result ended up with 3 trillion USD to spare.]