I will say this only once ...cause the first time I didnt say exact these words. Every President, King, PM, leader of the communist country will make basic (grades 1-8) education obligatory by the power of the law and then he/she/sheit/fluid unicorn several things:
1)Instill obediance as the highest virtue. This is done ba making 6-12 year olds to seat quietly and robbing the minds that are developing warp speed of any interest by technique "all repeat after me". It doesnt matter how useful it is. On the contrary- maje them memorise things that will soon be forgoten as most of them no child will ever need then after the test is over.
2) School has to be mandatory so parents can go to work not thinking of their kids.
3)Learn uniformity with a grain of real value so kids could enter the workforce and not be overwhelmed.
4) As everyone is schooled to be a soldier keep an eye for those that are exceling. If they are not submissive enough crush them while their young and make an example for others what will happen if they stray of the rigid line. Especially talented kids who also have strong will and are not easily put back in line are the ones that need to be destroyed so they don't corrupt other kids with funny ideas like "critical thinking and standing up for the thingscthey believe in. Especially those who try to help their peers. There are many methods but ignoring, punishing for virtue and repeating lines like "aren't you know it all...I must warn you that your friends (the world) will not like someone who behaves that way", "are you his lawyer?", "again you with your philosophy...cant you jusrmt once follow class without interupying"...
5) Smart kids that are unwilling to cave are poor solider material cause they tend to use their heads and morality over orders.
6) Make public education incrementally worse so populus os easier to ruled.
I could go on but I am tired but it all comes down to 99% of kids get no chance either way, and true education is kept for thosevin power and their children.
The artbof education is the art of creating masses of obedient citizens not able to think critically. That way they will be screwed in life but will not know what to do. Better yet they will be frightened of being knowledgeable cause they saw what happened to kids/people that werevfigting for themselves and they dont want to stirr the water. In thus maber they are easy to manipulate and civil disobediance and thus civil war is off the table no matter how exploited they are.
This are few principals that are used in (almost)every classroom and good authoritarians are vell versed in using them.
I strayed a bit off topic but I wanted to write it down. Off to sleep I go, I an on CET.