Education in Randland

Author: Atarah al'Norahn
Published: October 21 2019 Tar Valon Times Blog Link

This article contains spoilers through The Towers of Midnight.

Hoping to leave something behind that will help balance the devastation he is prophesied to bring to the world, Rand establishes a series of academies. Located in Caemlyn, Cairhien, and Tear, these institutions are primarily intended to stand as “repositories where knowledge could be preserved” in the event of another breaking. Although Rand notes that they are “not exactly school[s],” students still “come to learn,” various “young men and women” who gather to take lessons from the scholars and inventors who serve as teachers (LoC, Ch. 18).

And yet, what of education more generally in Randland? Many of the characters in the series, such as Rand and Egwene, mention their enjoyment of reading, and literacy appears to be fairly widespread. Aside from Rand’s academies, however, very little is ever mentioned in regards to schooling in The Wheel of Time—a fact which recently prompted a consideration of literacy and education in Randland on TarValon.Net’s discussion boards.[1] Nevertheless, there are a few references that we can cobble together to gain a slightly better understanding of how education works within the domains of the series.

The White Tower, of course, requires that novices and Accepted take extensive classes during their training. While many of these classes are naturally focused on channeling and the workings and history of the White Tower itself, a wide range of other lessons are taught as well. These include, but are not limited to, the Old Tongue (NS, Ch. 2), the laws and history of various nations, literature, philosophy (NS, Ch. 8), Shadowspawn (TDR, Ch. 15), and the nature of reality (LoC, Ch. 25). Furthermore, novices who cannot already write are “taught a decent hand”, although Moiraine notes that many Aes Sedai who write “badly” choose to use “clerks for anything they wanted someone else to understand” (NS, Ch. 6).

Outside of the White Tower, noble families hire tutors for their children. At the Aesdaishar Palace in Chachin, Kandor, for instance, Prince Diryk studies his “books” with Mistress Tuval (NS, Ch. 22). Elayne, meanwhile, remembers “her teachers and tutors” in Caemlyn (ToM, Ch. 23), and both Estean Andiama and Edorion Selorna of Tear make references to tutors who taught them phrases in the Old Tongue (TSR, Ch. 2; TFoH, Ch. 30). Outside the ranks of the nobility, it appears that there are schools or tutors for those who are able to pay the fee as well; Melare, an Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah, is known to have paid for the education of her nieces, nephews, and grandnephews (KoD, Epilogue).

Beyond such scant and scattered references, all else must be inferred. Given that an apprentice system exists for various crafts such as blacksmithing, it is possible—even likely—that such a system exists for clerks and other positions as well.[2] In addition, schooling at home likely plays a large role in acquiring skills such as reading and writing.

What are your thoughts on education in Randland?

• [1] “School in the WoT world?,” https://www.tarvalon.net/index.php?threads/school-in-the-wot-world.35480/

• [2] With thanks to Lillian O’Neeus for this idea.