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, &quot;post-secondary&quot;, or &quot;higher&quot; 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.

Secondary school or 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 and the United States) referred to as "K-12" education, (K is for kindergarten, 12 is for twelfth grade).

Comparison of years of secondary education in different countries
* This is a rough average over all students. Individual students are usually within 6 months of this age.

Secondary education in various countries
Secondary education is referred to by different names in different countries, see education by country.
 * Argentina: Secundaria or Polimodal, Escuela secundaria
 * Australia: Secondary school, High school, Secondary 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.
 * People's Republic Of China (China): zhong xue (&#20013;&#23398;; literally, middle school), consisting of chu zhong (&#21021;&#20013;; literally beginning middle) from grades 7 to 9 and gao zhong (&#39640;&#20013;; literally high middle) from grades 10 to 12
 * Republic of China (Taiwan): Junior High School(&#22283;&#27665;&#20013;&#23416;), Senior High School(&#39640;&#32026;&#20013;&#23416;), Vocational High School(&#39640;&#32026;&#32887;&#26989;&#20013;&#23416;), Military School(&#36557;&#26657;), and Complete High School(&#23436;&#20840;&#20013;&#23416;).
 * Canada: high school, secondary school, &eacute;cole secondaire, lyc&eacute;e, collegiate institute
 * Croatia: srednja &#353;kola (literally middle school), gimnazija (gymnasium)
 * Cyprus: Γυμνάσιο(gymnasium), Ενιαίο Λύκειο (Lyceum)
 * Czech Republic: střední škola (literally middle school), gymnázium (gymnasium), střední odborné učiliště
 * Denmark: gymnasium
 * Estonia: Gymnasium, Lyceum
 * Finland: lukio (Finn.) gymnasium (Swed.)
 * France: collège (junior), lyc&eacute;e (senior)
 * Germany: Gymnasium, Realschule/Fachoberschule, Hauptschule, Gesamtschule
 * Hong Kong: secondary school (&#20013;&#23416;, Cantonese:&#676;&#601;&#650;&#331;1 h&#596;k6 ), college (&#26360;&#38498;)
 * Greece: Γυμνάσιο(gymnasium), Ενιαίο Λύκειο (Lyceum)
 * 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. Collectively known as "secondary school".
 * Italy: Scuola Media (junior), Liceo (senior).
 * Japan: ch&#363;gakk&#333; (&#20013;&#23398;&#26657;; literally middle school), k&#333;t&#333;gakk&#333; (&#39640;&#31561;&#23398;&#26657;; literally high school), ch&#363;t&#333;ky&#333;ikugakk&#333; (&#20013;&#31561;&#25945;&#32946;&#23398;&#26657;; Secondary School) - In the pre-Meiji educational system, the equivalent was called "ch&#363;sei"
 * Liechtenstein: gymnasium
 * Lithuania: vidurinė mokykla (literally middle school), gimnazija (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)
 * Portugal: 2º Ciclo do Ensino Básico (5th and 6th grades), 3º Ciclo do Ensino Básico (7th to 9th grades), and Ensino Secundário, Liceu (10th to 12th grades)
 * Romania: Liceu
 * Russia: &#1089;&#1088;&#1077;&#1076;&#1085;&#1077;&#1077; &#1086;&#1073;&#1088;&#1072;&#1079;&#1086;&#1074;&#1072;&#1085;&#1080;&#1077; (transliteration: sredneye obrazovaniye)
 * Singapore: secondary school (&#20013;&#23398;) for the first 4 levels, followed by either junior college (&#21021;&#32423;&#23398;&#38498;) for 2 year courses or centralised institute (&#39640;&#32423;&#20013;&#23398;) for 3-year courses. Some secondary schools call themselves high schools (&#39640;&#20013;).
 * Slovenia: gymnasium
 * Spain: Educación secundaria, ESO (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria)
 * Sweden: gymnasium
 * Switzerland: gymnasium, secondary school''
 * Turkey: Lise
 * United Kingdom: Secondary school (Primary school being the one before this)
 * 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.
 * Secondary Education in Wales: Secondary school (Primary school being the one before this)