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The Prussian education system, developed in the 18th century, was funded by taxes and made attendance compulsory for all citizens. It provided basic education and taught obedience, duty to country, and ethics. After eight years, attendance was no longer free, but the idea of providing education to all was revolutionary. American educators were intrigued by the system and it was adopted in the US, largely propelled by Andrew Carnegie. However, there has been opposition to the system, with some believing it weakens competition and limits innovation.
The Prussian education system is the model for education in many modern nations, including the United States. It is, in essence, a model of compulsory education, where all members of a country must attend school up to a certain level.
The system was developed in the 18th century. The Kingdom of Prussia funded its education system with taxes, rather than charging students, allowing all citizens to attend for free. At the same time, they made attendance at their schools compulsory. It included eight years of compulsory schooling that attempted to fully prepare students for the modern world.
This education system educated students in basic educational concepts, such as math, writing, and reading. At the same time, he also taught such things as obedience, duty to country, and general ethics. One of the main motivations for the Prussian education system, interestingly enough, was religious. Various factions, especially the Pietists, believed that the deepest understanding of God could only come through a personal reading of the Bible, so literacy was important for all people, not just the wealthy.
After the first eight years of education, attendance was no longer free, so generally only the better off could attend secondary school. However, the idea of providing any kind of education to every member of a country, regardless of their means, was revolutionary.
In the early 19th century, a great deal of philosophy of education was developing in the United States. Many of these philosophers were intrigued by the Prussian educational system and the success it was enjoying in both Prussia and Austria. By the mid-19th century, a number of seminal American educators had traveled to Germany to see how the system actually worked, and they returned to the United States as zealous converts, vigorously advocating for US adoption of the system.
Governor Edward Everett of Massachusetts instituted a system-based compulsory education policy in 1852. Not long after, New York City opened 12 schools that provided free compulsive education for students in their region. From there the idea of compulsory education spread throughout the United States, gaining strength and speed as it went. Its adoption was largely propelled by Andrew Carnegie and his Carnegie Group, who helped support a teacher certification system and fund various schools in need.
Since its adoption, there has been substantial and vocal opposition to the Prussian education system, particularly in the United States. Many people believe that, in fact, the adoption of compulsory education has weakened competition between schools and limited their ability to innovate. The argument has seen renewed vigor in recent years, with the push for voucher schemes as a way to strengthen private schools.
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