Ministry of Community Wellbeing

The somewhat Orwellian-sounding Ministry of Community Wellbeing is the superdepartment of the federal government of Sober Thought concerned with domestic social welfare issues.

Because it aims to avoid as many future problems as possible by heavily investing in the present, it somewhat resembles its fellow superdepartment, the Ministry of Community Defence, with its proactive, somewhat proactive and reactive elements. The minister has the usual general directorates: policy, personnel and procurement.

Vice Ministry of Education

Main article: Sober Thought education

This part of the government sets standards for the various levels of education, so this is how its chief directorates are arranged. The Compulsory Education -- with directorates for primary, intermediate and adult basic education -- is responsible for designing the cirriculum for grades 1 through 9 (roughly ages 6 through 15).

Education is compulsory from age 6, but at the request of guardians and with the permission of school authorities, it may begin earlier. Primary education consists of six levels (grades) and is normally completed by age 12. Its goal is basic literacy and numeracy. Intermediate education consists of three levels (grades) and is normally completed by age 15. Its goal is to imbue civic and social rights and responsibilities, while building on primary education.

The Chief Directorate of Secondary Education is responsible for grades 10 through 12 (roughly ages 15 through 18, when schooling is not compulsory). Its goal is to prepare students for employment or tertiary education and it may be streamed or channelled to those students with differing objectives. Movement between streams shall be permitted should academic performance meet entry requirements. Administratively, there are four directorates: academic, commercial, applied and adult secondary education. Graduates of the secondary programme often find admission to post-secondary education advisable.

The Chief Directorate of Tertiary Education is responsible for educational programmes aimed at educated adults. It has separate directorates for trades, college, university and professional education.

Apprenticeship programs for construction, mechanical, and other physical trades are an integral part of tertiary education. Entry requirements are normally completion of secondary school, but completion of intermediate school and a successful entry test are acceptable. Apprenticeship is gear towards immediate employment in a trade and it is funded in equal portions by the trades themselves (by the difference between an apprentice's fractional earnings and the earnings of a qualified tradesperson), the provincial government and the student.

College is similar to apprenticeship but for trades that do not include a large physical component and involve mainly providing services to other people. It is funded in equal measures by the industry and trade associations which have a say in the curriculum of colleges and by the students themselves on the same basis as university students below.

University provides no explicit occupational training and is purely an intellectually exploratory exercise. University is funded in whole by the students themselves on the basis of the actual costs of learning. Federal loans are available to students on bases similar to low-interest mortgages, and of course the usual tertiary education scholarship programme.

The federal government establishes the minimum program standards for granting degrees but otherwise is uninvolved in their governance unless it chooses to establish its own universities where it may compel its scholarship winners to attend as a condition of the scholarship. Provincial governments may establish their own universities on a similar basis and in which they may discriminate against out-of-province students.

Professional education is provided for such fields as law, medicine and accounting which would allow graduates a reasonable prospect to become self-employed. Each professional institution must meet federal government standards but may collect its fees in any way it desires.

The vice ministry collaborates closely with the Chief Directorate of Education Coooperation in the Ministry of Community Connections, which has a similar organisational structure on a reduced scale.

Vice Ministry of Health

This covers physical and mental health in all its aspects, including emergency medicine, public health, rehabilitation, dental health and hygiene, etc.

The Chief Directorate of Health Promotion is repsonsible for overseeing the directorates of public health, mental health, dental hygiene and primary care (alias General Practitioners or Family Doctors). The goal of these agencies is to maintain health and prevent illness before it occurs or, if not possible, to give early warning of problems before acute care is required.

The Chief Directorate of Acute Care is reponsible for resolving pressing health emergencies. It has directorates for emergency care, perinatal care and dental surgery which cover trauma cases, obstetrics, neonatal, and dental extractions and implants.

The Chief Directorate of Chronic Care is responsible for managing long-term health care issues which cannot be quickly resolved. It has directorates for geriatric care, rehabilitation, disabled care and psychiatric care.

The Chief Directorate of Health Regulation certifies the safety of prescription and over the counter drugs, medical devices and health institutions.

Vice Ministry of Justice

Main article: Sober Thought Vice Ministry of Justice

This vice ministry is responsible for federal law, corrections and community courts.

Federal law is further subdivided into criminal law, maritime law and constitutional law (including civil rights). The Criminal Code is updated periodically to reflect changes in technology, social attitudes and corrections successes. Generally speaking, heinous crimes such as homicide and sexual assault which in other countries would result in capital punishment instead warrant prison sentences measured in decades. Successful completion of a prison rehabilitation program might result in release after ten or fifteen years, and the remainder of the sentence is spent on parole where supervision is maintained. Conviction for a subsequent homicide results in execution.

The Chief Directorate of Corrections is further subdivided into alternative service, prison and parole directorates, all animated by the desire to balance community protection with criminal rehabilitation. Minimum and medium security prisons are located near most cities of at least 2% national population so that family visitation is possible if desired or effective in aiding rehabilitiation. Maximum security prisons are located in more isolated areas for the protection of the nearby residents.

The Chief Directorate of Courts is responsible for the administration of criminal and constitutional justice throughout the country. It has directorates for the Constituional Court, the Community Appeal Court and the Criminal Court. Constitutional court decisions can be overridden by concurrent agreement of the Community Conscience, House of the Federation and the House of the Provinces.

Vice Ministry of Social Support

This branch of the ministry is designed to support, with money and programs, those who cannot support themselves temporarily or indefinitely.

The Chief Directorate of Young People helps infants, children and youth who have been orphaned or otherwise separated from their parents. They are placed in foster care or institutions as appropriate.

The Chief Directorate of Elderly People helps the aged who cannot completely care for themselves. They are offered income supplements, home care, visiting home makers, housekeeping aid and nursing homes. This CD also confers regularly with the CD of Chronic Care in the Vice Ministry of Health.

The Chief Directorate of Handicapped People helps those with physical or mental challenges which range from minor handicaps to severe disabilities. They are offered financial, assisted living and other services as approriate. This CD also confers regularly with the CD of Chronic Care.