Indochina Research Paper

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Although both colonial powers implemented modern education institutions in the East Indies and Indochina their organization differed, which was affected by different ways language was treated. These procedural variations contributed to the divergent ways nationalism immerged into these colonies. In the East Indies, education was highly centralized. Primary schools existed in the villages and small towns, secondary schools were found in the large towns and small cities, and all tertiary education was located exclusively in Batavia and Bandung. All Indisch who were educated in the colonial system had the same experience. They learned the same lessons, from the same textbooks, in the same language, and all shared the common goal of going to Batavia if they wanted to continue their education. Meanwhile, the French took a different approach to education in…show more content…
In the East Indies, people were encouraged to stay in Batavia, whether they had just completed tertiary education, were looking for business opportunities, or wanted to work for the government. People were never told or even encouraged to return to where they were from by the Dutch, ad the Dutch all viewed them as Indisch. While they were of low status, Indisch were generally viewed as equal to each other, without much distinction between someone who was Madurese or Sundanese. The French sorted the people of Indochina by language groups and territories. A person who was Khmer was expected to live and work in Cambodge, even if they completed tertiary education in Saigon. As colonialism in Indochina progressed, more centers for education were build, but they were built throughout the colony, rather than concentrated in a specific region. Thus, the common goal of getting to Batavia helped with the formation of a singular identity in Indonesia, while the expectation of staying in the region of origin maintained separatism in

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