...dubious military schools.

How are the French military schools, particularly the military technical schools 'dubious'?

From The Development of Technical Education in France 1500-1850 by Frederic Artz, vii:

'The French, in the three and a half centuries between about 1500 and 1850, developed all, or nearly all, the basic forms of modern technical education. And in the course of time, from Russia across western Europe and the United States to Japan, all countries modeled their technical schools on those of France. So, in the gradual transfer of technical training from an apprenticeship system where one learned a calling on the job to one where one learned much of his technical profession in a school, France played the dominant role.'

It is also interesting to look at the curriculum of the French artillery and engineer schools, where the budding gunners and engineers were taught algebra, trigonometry, geometry, various sciences, technical drawing and other vital subjects. The United States Military Academy at West Point was modeled on the French military technical schools, and it is presently one of the three best engineering schools in the country.

If anyone would like more detailed information on France's leadership in technical education during the period, I would be happy to post it. A good start for those interested is the volume by Frederic Artz. Engineering the Revolution by Ken Alder is also a valuable reference on the subject.