Yeah the only ambiguity here is if learning is being promoted or if officialdom is. That is, is it saying that "Learning and excellence leads to officialdom" ie

Yeah the only ambiguity here is if learning is being promoted or if officialdom is. That is, is it saying that "Learning and excellence leads to officialdom" ie. that the end goal of studying is to become an official or is excellence in learning just a prerequisite for officialdom but that is not it's main goal. I think the common usage tends to imply that studying is a means of becomimg an official.