This book focuses on the educational policy of the long decade of the 1850s and, in particular, on the tenure of Charalambos Christopoulos (1855-1859), the longest-serving Minister of Education of the 19th century.
The two Minister's Reports (1856 and 1857), along with the fourteen parallel texts included in this edition, shed light on interesting – but largely unknown – aspects of educational policy and the country's political life.
Christopoulos' goal from the outset is to reduce or even eliminate the maladies of the educational system. His observations constitute the first official recognition of the dysfunction of the educational system and its inadequacy in meeting the country's needs.
Although he does not make bold leaps, Christopoulos seems to envision and attempt to organize a "different" educational system with slow but steady steps, addressing all levels of public education, technical-vocational training, women's education, and the training of teachers and female educators.
