Secondary Education

Secondary education is a period of education which, in most contemporary educational systems of the world, follows directly after primary education, and which may be followed by tertiary, "post-secondary", or "higher" education (e.g., university). In Australia and other countries secondary schools is the official term for institutions offering this period of education. In other parts of the English-speaking world, secondary school is often used synonymously with secondary education.

High school is employed in many educational systems to refer to secondary education. Gymnasium and lyceum are other frequent names in various countries. In some educational systems, secondary schools are literally termed middle schools; the use of this term is not consistent around the world as middle school in some systems refers to the first period of secondary schooling, or alternately, the last period of primary education. College can also refer to secondary schools, or to the first stage of secondary schooling, much like middle school. Preparatory schools or "prep schools" can be secondary institutions, though often include primary levels as well.

The purpose of a secondary education can be to prepare for either higher education or vocational training. The exact boundary between primary and secondary education varies from country to country and even within them, but is generally around the seventh to the tenth year of education, with middle school covering any gaps. Secondary education occurs mainly during the teenage years. Primary and secondary education together are sometimes (in particular, in Canada, Australia and the United States) referred to as "K-12" education, (K is for kindergarten, 12 is for twelfth grade).

Secondary education in various countries

Secondary education is referred to by different names in different countries:

Argentina: Secundaria or Polimodal, Escuela secundaria

Australia: high school, secondary school, secondary college, college

Austria: Gymnasium (Ober- & Unterstufe), Hauptschule, "Höhere Bundeslehranstalt (HBLA), Höhere Technische Lehranstalt (HTL)

Bahamas, The: Junior High (grades 7-9), Senior High (grades 10-12)

Brazil: Colegial, Segundo Grau (former, but still in use informally); Ensino Médio (official)

Chile: Enseñanza Media.

Canada: high school, secondary school, école secondaire, lycée, collegiate institute

Croatia: srednja škola (literally middle school), gimnazija (gymnasium)

Denmark: gymnasium

Estonia: Gymnasium, Lyceum

Finland: lukio (Finn.) gymnasium (Swed.)

France: collège (junior), lycée (senior)

Germany: Gymnasium, Realschule/Fachoberschule, Hauptschule, Gesamtschule

Hungary: gimnázium (grammar school), középiskola (comprehensive school, lit. "middle-school"), szakközépiskola (vocational secondary school, lit. "specified middle-school")

Iceland: Menntaskóli.

India: secondary school

Indonesia: Sekolah Lanjutan Tingkat Atas (SLTA), Sekolah Lanjutan Tingkat Pertama (SLTP).

Republic of Ireland: community school, comprehensive school, college, vocational school, voluntary secondary school.

Japan: chugakko ( literally middle school), kotogakko ( literally high school), chutokyoikugakko (Secondary School) - In the pre-Meiji educational system, the equivalent was called "chusei"

Liechtenstein: gymnasium

Malaysia: secondary school or sekolah menengah, sometimes high school is used

Mexico: Educación secundaria y preparatoria

Netherlands: middelbare school or voortgezet onderwijs

New Zealand: The term secondary school is used in official documents. The terms college and high school are also common. A few schools use the term grammar school in their name (e.g. Auckland Grammar School) but this is rare and is not used as a generic term. New Zealand also has intermediate schools, but these cover the last two years of primary education and are not secondary schools.

Norway: Videregående

Peru: Educación secundaria

Poland: gimnazjum (grades 7-9), liceum (grades 10-12)

Romania: Liceu

Russia: (transliteration: sredneye obrazovaniye)

Singapore: secondary school for the first 4 levels, followed by either junior college for 2 year courses or centralised institute for 3-year courses. Some secondary schools call themselves high schools.

Slovenia: gymnasium

Spain: Educación secundaria, ESO (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria)

Sweden: gymnasium

Switzerland: gymnasium, secondary school

Turkey: Lise

United Kingdom: secondary school (Informally known as High School)

United States: high school (usually grades 9-12 or 10-12 also termed senior high school); junior high school (6-8 or 6-9, or other variations) and middle school (6-8, 7-8, or 5-8) are sometimes considered secondary education.

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