Japanese high school students in uniform

Secondary education is a period of education which follows directly after primary education (such as intermediate school or elementary school), and which may be followed by tertiary or "post-secondary" education. In Australia, secondary schools is the official term for what was formerly known as high schools. In other parts of the English speaking world, secondary school is often used synonymously with secondary education.

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, see education by country.

• Argentina: Secundaria , Escuela secundaria
• Australia: high school, secondary school, secondary college, college
• Austria: gymnasium
• Brazil : Colegial, Segundo Grau (former, but still in use informally); Ensino Médio (official)
• Chile: Enseñanza Media.
• People's Republic Of China(China): zhong xue (中学; literally, middle school), consisting of chu zhong (初中; literally junior middle) from grades 7 to 9 and gao zhong (高中; literally high middle) from grades 10 to 12
• Republic of China(Taiwan):The Secondary education in Taiwan includes Junior High School(國民中學), Senior High School(高級中學), Vocational High School(高級職業中學), Military School(軍校), and Complete High School(完全中學).
• Canada: high school, secondary school, école secondaire, lycée
• Croatia : srednja škola (literally middle school), gimnazija (gymnasium)
• Denmark: gymnasium
• Finland: gymnasium (Swed.) lukio (Finn.)
• France: collège (junior), lycée (senior)
• Germany: gymnasium
• Hong Kong: secondary school (中學, Cantonese:ʤəʊŋ1 hɔk6), college (書院)
• Hungary : gimnázium (grammar school), középiskola (comprehensive school, lit. "middle-school"), szakközépiskola (vocational secondary school, lit. "specified middle-school")
• Iceland: Menntaskóli.
• 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: chūgakkō (中学校; literally middle school), kōtōgakkō (高等学校; literally high school), chūtōkyōikugakkō (中等教育学校; Secondary School) - In the pre-Meiji educational system, the equivalent was called "chūsei"
• 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: secondary school or (where a middle school system is operated) high school
• Norway : Vidaregående
• Peru : Educación secundaria
• Romania : Liceu
• Russia: среднее образование (transliteration: sredneye obrazovaniye)

• Singapore: secondary school (中学) for the first 4 levels, followed by either junior college (初级学院) for 2 year courses or centralised institute (高级中学) for 3-year courses. Some secondary schools call themselves high schools (高中).
• Slovenia : gymnasium
• Spain : Educación secundaria, ESO (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria)
• Sweden: gymnasium
• Switzerland : gymnasium
• Turkey : Lise
• United Kingdom: secondary school or (where a middle school system is operated) high school
• United States: high school

See also

• School -- Preparatory school
• Education by country
• List of colleges and universities by country
• List of high school dropouts