1804 Napoleon proclaimed himself emperor and politically practiced centralized military dictatorship of the big bourgeoisie. In line with this, he also carried out a series of educational reforms. Napoleon saw the importance of education to realize his political goals with the keen eyes of his politicians. He once warned: "In all our institutions, the most important thing is public education, and the present and future depend on it." Therefore, he has been keen on reforming school education, with a view to cultivating civil and military officials needed by the empire through school education and consolidating its rule.

1808, Napoleon founded Imperial University as the highest leading organ of national education administration. The President of Imperial University (equivalent to the Minister of Education) was directly appointed by Napoleon, who was in charge of the establishment, prohibition, appointment and promotion of teachers. Imperial University also has a Senate and a Governor's College to assist the director in managing educational affairs throughout the country. Imperial University has 29 university districts, which are parallel to the national judicial districts. Each campus has a principal appointed by the principal. There are also school district councils and inspectors. All universities and middle schools in China are under the unified leadership of Imperial University Hall, and the rules and regulations, curriculum and class arrangements of schools at all levels are formulated and supervised by the state. The director-general, commander-in-chief and teachers are all state officials, and the state pays their salaries. This strict centralized educational administrative system has become the biggest feature of the French educational system, and has been affecting it until now.

During the First Empire, primary schools were neglected, but secondary and higher education developed greatly. There are national middle schools established by the central government and municipal middle schools established by local organs of self-government. These names have been used to this day. Ethnic middle schools mainly train administrative officials and senior military personnel. School internal management is very strict. Students wear uniform clothes. According to the establishment of the army, drums are used in the school's actions. Impose severe punishment on students who violate discipline. Compared with state schools, municipal middle schools have lower status, simpler courses, less strict discipline and more students than state schools.

During the First Empire, with the great development of education, the original chaotic school education was transformed into a relatively systematic and complete school education system, and the modern school education system in France was established.