When the vatican got its worldl privileges from the Nazis in exchange for helping Hitler pass the Enablement Act, control of education and many university chairs was one of the ke things they wanted. You don't grow a protitable service / extortion business dor 2000 years without knowing about how to create the next generation of your customers.
Some people say religion is a virus. I disagree. I think it's better described as a root kit that is installed before the age of reason, so that it is accepted as truth and the rest of the world view is constructed around it/adapting to it.