Secondary education covers two phases on the ISCED scale. Level 2 or lower secondary education is considered the second and final phase of basic education, and level 3 or upper secondary education is the stage before tertiary education. Every country aims to provide basic education, but the systems and terminology remain unique to them. Secondary education typically takes place after six years of primary education and is followed by higher education, vocational education or employment.
Secondary education in Africa.
Algeria.
In Algeria, secondary school starts after obtaining the "Brevet d’Enseignement Fondamental" (Basic Education Certificate), and ends by getting the "Baccalauréat de l’Enseignement Secondaire Général" (general studies) or the "Baccalauréat de Technicien" (technical studies) that exclusively grants access to national universities.
Egypt.
The secondary school, known as Thanaweya Amma (ثانوية عامة), is a three-year program after which the student, according to his score in the final year, can join a higher level of education in a university or, when the score is lower, an institution of education that issues a degree not equal with the university one.
Ghana.
The Senior High School (SHS) curriculum lasts for three years (was extended a four-year curriculum from 2007 to 2009). The SHS ends on a final exam called the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), and to get into a university the student must have at least a credit in three of four core subjects; Math, English, Social studies, Integrated Science program and three other electives.
Mauritius.
In Mauritius, secondary school starts from Grade 7 (age 12-13) until Grade 13 (age 18-20). From Grade 7 to 9, the students are prepared for the National Certificate of Education (NCE). After passing the NCE, students will have the choice to proceed with their studies for two more years for the School Certificate (SC). After passing the SC, students will have the choice to further proceed with their studies for two more years for the Higher School Certificate (HSC).
Nigeria.
In Nigeria, secondary school starts from JSS1 - grade 7 (age 12–13) until SSS3 - grade 12 (age 17–18). Most students start at the age of 10 or 11 and finish at 16 or 17. Grade 6 is mostly skipped, but those students who did grade 6 normally start grade 7 (JSS 1) at the age 11 or 12. Students are required to sit for the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE). To progress to university students must obtain at least a credit in Maths, English and seven other subjects in WASSCE.
They oldest secondary school in Nigeria is Baptist Academy, Lagos.
Somalia.
In Somalia, secondary school starts from grade 9 (age 14–15) until grade 12 (age 17–18). Students start it when they are around 14 to 15 years of age and finish at 18. Students are required to study Somali and Arabic, with the option of either English or Italian depending on the type of school. Religion, chemistry, physics, biology, physical education, textile, art, design, and music are also typically available. When secondary school has been completed, students are sent to national training camp before going to either college, or military training. Similar to other institutes around the world, the age of pupils can vary as some students may be required to repeat a previous year if they have not achieved their academic potential, or may be allowed to skip a year if their level of achievement is higher than the grade level.
South Africa.
In South Africa, high school begins at grade 8 (age 13–14). Students study for five years, at the end of which they write a Matriculation examination.
As of 2008, students sit the National Senior Certificate examinations, which replaced the Seniors Certificate and Further Education and Training Certificate. To progress on to university, students must attain a pass in their Home language, an Additional Language, Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy, and Life Orientation, as well as at least three electives; see further under National Senior Certificate. (The system previously allowed for an examination at the Higher or Standard Grade for each subject. Since 2008, this has been discontinued.)
An alternative Matric examination is offered by the Independent Examinations Board (IEB), a body representing various of the .
Foreign grade 12 equivalent qualifications are also accepted. Many home educated learners write foreign grade 12 equivalent examinations.
South Sudan.
Secondary school has four grades: 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th. In secondary school, science subjects taught include, chemistry, biology, physics and Mathematics. The Art subjects taught include geography, commerce, English language, English literature, History among others. The students’ ages are about 17 to 25 years, while in secondary school because many enroll into schools at an older age than the average school age. There is a particularly high drop-out rate in secondary school; due to truancy among boys and pregnancy among girls.
Zimbabwe.
Secondary school starts at Form One (Year 8) and ends at Upper Six (i.e. Sixth Form or Year 13).
Government, missionary and some private high schools offer the ZIMSEC curriculum and conduct ZIMSEC Ordinary Level (Form Four or Year 11) and Advanced Level (Upper Six) examinations.
Most private high schools offer Cambridge International Examinations curriculum and conduct Cambridge IGCSE, and GCE Advanced Level for the same Forms as public high schools respectively.
Secondary education in the Americas.
Argentina.
The school system is free and mandatory.
Canada.
Upper secondary education is provided in secondary schools (also known as High schools) are educational institutions consisting most commonly of students enrolled in grade 10 (age 15–16) through grade 12 (age 17–18). Four provinces' high schools consist of grade 9 (age 14–15) to grade 12 (age 17–18), and in Quebec, high school years are Secondary 1 through to Secondary 5 (grade 7 (age 12–13) – grade 11 (age 16–17)). Variations and subdivisions of these structures are fairly common. The majority of high schools in Canada schedule classes running from late August or early September to mid or late June with a summer break during July and August.
Chile.
The first stage of secondary education, age 11 to 13 years takes place in the primary school. Upper secondary education is called "educacion media" in Spanish, it lasts from age 14 to 18 years, and is mandatory.
"Educacion media" is divided into four grades.
There are also two strands of upper secondary education: scientific-humanist, which is oriented to mathematical/science and humanist topics, and professional technician which can be oriented to commercial, agricultural or industrial fields of specialization for the development of technicians. Some schools may be polytechnicals, meaning than more than just one field within the strand can be chosen.
The first two grades are common to both and have the same topics. In 3rd grade, students in scientific-humanist strand choose from a scientific specialization, humanist specialization or in some institutions an artistic specialization, this leads to a diploma called "Licencia de Educacion Media" (Secondary Education License).
Professional technicians also specialise in the field they have chosen in 3rd grade, this leads to a Secondary Level Technician diploma.
Classes begin in March, are two semesters long and end in December, but private schools or colleges can start on another date.
Colombia.
Secondary education in Colombia is divided into two; basic secondary that goes from grade 6 (age 11–12) to grade 9 (age 14–15), and mid secondary that covers grade 10 (age 15–16) and grade 11 (age 16–17). In Colombia, education has always been mandatory but it wasn't until 2012 that all education for children and teenagers was made free of charge at any public institution.
Cuba.
Upper secondary schools in Cuba are generically known as "preuniversitarios", but they also have other names depending on their specialization: IPVCE (Spanish abbreviation of Pre-university Institute of Exact Sciences), IPUEC (abbreviation of Institute Pre-university on the Country-Side), EVA (Arts Vocational School) and ESPA (sports) are amongst the most popular. All of them are secular institutions financed and run by the state, and provide education from grade 10 (age 15–16) till grade 12 (age 17–18).
Mexico.
Lower-secondary education (three years) is considered part of basic education in Mexico and is compulsory. For entry, students are required to have successfully completed six years of primary education. The next stage (three years), upper-secondary education or preparation school ("preparatoria"), has been compulsory since 2012. It has three pathways: general upper-secondary, technical professional education, and technological upper-secondary. As it has been called "bachillerato" it has been frequently confused with the US' "bachelor's level", which is called "Licenciatura o Ingeniería" in Latin American countries (though not all, as in Venezuela, the US' bachelor's level is referred to as "doctor").
Some universities have high school in their own study programs but the teachers of the institutions are graduates from the universities they studied as an example: Higher school Education System (UdeG)
Paraguay.
In Paraguay, secondary education is called "educación media". After nine years of "educación escolar básica" (primary school), a student can choose to go to either a "bachillerato técnico" (vocational school) or a "bachillerato científico" (high school); both are part of the "educación media" system. These two forms of secondary education last three years, and are usually located in the same campus called "colegio".
The "bachillerato técnico" combines general education with some specific subjects, referred to as pre-vocational education and career orientation. Fields include mechanical, electricity, commerce, construction, and business administration.
After completing secondary education, a student can enter university. It is also possible for a student to choose both técnico and científico schooling.
United States.
As part of education in the United States, the definition of "secondary education" varies among school districts. Often secondary programs are divided into two programs: middle school and high school. Generally, middle school comprises grade 6 (age 11–12), grade 7 (age 12–13), and grade 8 (age 13–14), while high school comprises grade 9 (age 14–15) through grade 12 (age 17–18). Many schools use a variation of the structure; these decisions are made by the district and school board.
Venezuela.
In Venezuela "secondary schools" are educational institutions teaching grades 7 to 11 (ages 12 to 16). Classes begin in September, are 3 terms, and end in July. In Venezuela secondary education is called "bachillerato". It is divide into two, middle education, from grades 7 to 9 (ages 12 to 14), and diversified education or high school, covering grades 10 and 11 (ages 14 to 16).
Secondary education in Asia.
Armenia.
Armenia adopted a K12 educational system, which is organized in 3 levels:
The primary and secondary schools are free and compulsory in Armenia. There are 1418 public secondary schools operating in Armenia, which help to provide the whole population with an access to secondary education. Besides the natural sciences, social sciences, technical sciences and some more standard general education subjects, other specific and important mandatory subjects forming a culture for future generations are taught in Armenian secondary schools. Such as, the Armenian History: forming a patriotic culture; Informatics: forming a technology awareness culture; Chess: forming a logical thinking culture in the society.
Bangladesh.
In Bangladesh, secondary is from grade 7 (age 12–13), year 8 to grade 11 (age 16–17), year 12. After completing grade 9 (age 14–15), year 10 the students sit for their Secondary School Certificate. They then take admission to college, which is the name for senior secondary consisting of grade 10 (age 15–16), year 11 and grade 11 (age 16–17), year 12. In the Cambridge system, standard 1 to standard 4 is the junior section, standard 5 to 7 is the junior secondary section, and from standard 8 to 10 is the beginning of high school. Students sit for their O Level and A Level Examinations before applying for Universities.
Brunei.
In Brunei, secondary school lasts for five years, beginning in year 7 and ends in year 11, and typically aged 12 to 16. Entry to secondary school is based on "Penilaian Sekolah Rendah" "(PSR)" or Primary School Assessment taken at the end of year 6 in primary school. Secondary years are divided into lower secondary and upper secondary. The former takes two years and, under the new education system "Sistem Pendidikan Negara Abad ke-21" (translatable as 21st Century National Education System), the major assessment is Student Progress Assessment, replacing the phased out "Penilaian Menengah Bawah" or Lower Secondary Assessment. Students then proceed to upper secondary, which takes three years and culminates in the sitting of Brunei-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level or simply known as O Level. Students may then continue to the two-year sixth form, where they eventually sit for A-level for admission to bachelor's degree, or proceed to technical and vocational education where they can undertake various certificate and diploma programmes.
China.
In China, the terms "high school" and "senior high school" (高中) often refer