Secondary education

Lore & Background

Secondary education has roots in classical and medieval times, when it was provided by the church for the sons of nobility and boys preparing for universities and the priesthood. As trade required navigational and scientific skills, the church expanded the curriculum and widened intake. With the Reformation, the state began taking control of learning from the church, and educators like Comenius and John Locke shifted education from repetition of Latin text to building knowledge in the child. Up to the mid-19th century, secondary schools were organized to satisfy different social classes, with varying years of schooling for the labouring, merchant, and elite classes.

Reader's Guide

Secondary education is significant as the bridge between primary schooling and higher education or the workforce. The ISCED system, approved by UNESCO in 1997, provides a universal set of definitions for comparing education internationally, dividing secondary education into lower and upper phases. Lower secondary education completes basic education and lays foundations for lifelong learning, while upper secondary education allows specialization based on student interests. The terminology around secondary education varies by country, with schools called academies, high schools, lyceums, and other names. The historical evolution from church-controlled to state-controlled systems, and from elite to more inclusive access, reflects broader social changes.

Did You Know?

• Secondary education is divided into Level 2 (lower secondary) and Level 3 (upper secondary) on the ISCED scale.
• In most countries, secondary education is compulsory at least until age 16.
• The ISCED definitions were approved by the UNESCO General Conference in November 1997.
• In classical and medieval times, secondary education was provided by the church for sons of nobility and boys preparing for the priesthood.