School for People

Tidak Ikuti UASBN Agama, Muhammadiyah Gelar Ujian Sendiri

2012-02-24T15:18:00.000-08:00

YOGYA (KRjogja) - Muhammadiyah menyatakan sekolah dibawah naungan yayasannya tidak akan mengikuti Ujian Akhir Sekolah Berstandar Nasional (UASBN) Agama yang digelar Pemprov DIY tahun ajaran ini.

Sekretaris Majelis Pendidikan Dasar dan Menengah (Dikdasmen) Pimpinan Wilayah Muhammadiyah (PWM) DIY, Farid Setyawan mengatakan, sekolah-sekolah Muhammadiyah akan melakukan ujian sendiri dan tidak ikut UASBN yang digelar Kementrian Agama dan Kementrian Pendidikan Nasional di DIY. Sebabnya, Muhammadiyah memiliki kurikulum tersendiri untuk pendidikan agama Islam. "Kami tidak menolak UASBN, karena itu kewenangan pemerintah. Hanya saja kita memiliki kurikulum tersendiri," terangnya, hari ini (15/2) di Yogyakarta.

Ketidakikutsertaan sekolah Muhammadiyah pada UASBN Agama di DIY ini menurutnya sudah disampaikan PP Muhammadiyah ke Kementrian Agama maupun Kementrian Pendidikan Nasional. Rakernas Majelis Dikdasmen PP Muhammadiyah juga sudah memutuskan untuk tidak ikut dalam UASBN Agama ini.

"Alasan Muhammadiyah tidak ikut UASBN Agama , karena pengembangan kurikulum pendidikan agama Islam dari pemerintah dan Muhammadiyah berbeda. Muhammadiyah memberikan materi pendidikan agama Islam sebanyak 7 jam pelajaran dalam seminggu. Sementara materi dari pemerintah kurang dari itu," imbuhnya.

Selain itu, Muhammadiyah memberikan materi pendidikan agama tersendiri, sehingga evaluasinya juga dilakukan sendiri berdasarkan materi tersebut. Ujian evaluasi pendidikan agama yang dilakukan Muhammadiyah disusun oleh guru-guru pengampu pendidikan agama.

"Komposisinya juga berbeda dari soal pendidikan agama yang dikeluarkan pemerintah. Tujuan evaluasi menurut pemerintah adalah untuk peningkatan kualitas pendidikan. Menurut kita itu percuma jika tidak diikuti dengan peningkatan kualitas guru agama," tandasnya.

Jumlah sekolah Muhammadiyah di DIY sendiri saat ini sebanyak 464 sekolah. Terdiri atas SD/MI ada 290 sekolah, SMP/MTs ada 99 sekolah dan SMA/SMK/MA ada 75 sekolah. Sementara itu Kepala Bidang Madrasah dan Pendidikan Agama Islam pada Sekolah Umum (Mapenda) Kantor Wilayah Kementrian Agama Provinsi DIY, Noor Hamid mengatakan, DIY menjadi provinsi pertama yang menggelar UASBN agama di Indonesia. UASBN sendiri bukan hanya untuk pendidikan agama Islam, tetapi juga pendidikan agama lain.

"Ini amanah UU, pembinaan dan pelaksanaanya menjadi kewenangan Kementrian Agama dan diberlakukan untuk semua jenjang pendidikan dari SD hingga SMA," tegasnya. Karenanya kata dia, jika Muhammadiyah itu taat pada peraturan maka seharusnya ikut UASBN agama ini. "Kalau mereka memiliki kurikulum tertentu kenapa takut ikut UASBN Agama. Harusnya mereka ikut karena ini ujian standar," tandasnya.

Noor Hamid menambahkan soal ujian UASBN agama dibuat oleh Kelompok Kerja Guru Agama baik Islam, Hindu, Buddha, Kristen Protestan, maupun Katolik. Komposisi soalnya 75 persen dari provinsi dan 25 persen dari pusat. "Soal dibuat oleh KKG dan tidak membedakan apakah dari Muhammadiyah atau dari lainnya," pungkasnya. (Den)

Arahan

2008-08-16T19:41:00.000-07:00

More and More and More.......

2008-07-31T01:27:00.000-07:00

Public high school

2008-07-29T20:43:00.000-07:00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A public high school is a secondary school that is financed by tax revenues and other government-collected revenues, and administered exclusively by, and at the discretion of, state and local officials. The modifier "high", as applied to the noun "school", seems to have been arisen in the popular vocabulary to distinguish secondary schools from primary, or elementary, schools. In the United States of America, grade levels beginning in 9th grade and ending in 12th grade are commonly referred to with qualitative, rather than numerical, names. These are: "freshman" for 9th grade, "sophomore" for 10th grade, "junior" for 11th grade and "senior" for 12th grade. These terms are used more often to refer to each successive year in the university curriculum.

Public Schools and Private Schools compared

Public education, on its surface, appears to encourage an acceptance of diversity more common than in private schools, because, ostensibly no one can be denied, by the government as opposed to their peers, access to the services provided by and in public high schools. Access is considered superior because public-school attendees benefit from government subsidies, and thereby usually obtain an education less expensively than their private-school, tuition-paying, counterparts do.

Public high schools have produced many of the nation's most successful graduates of the best universities, and have produced leaders in all sectors of society.

Experiments with school vouchers have arisen around the country out of a belief in the superiority of private schools in some very specific locales, and the desire for access to them.

Contemporary Solutions to the Historical Problem of Racial Segregation

Within the public-school system in the United States, historically, challenges to a racially segregationist status quo have (in many cases successfully) been made, specifically being that against segregation).

In the public-school system, curriculum guidelines are determined by the state and county government, though each school may have a certain amount of latitude to determine its own curriculum based on these guidelines.

The "public" mission of public high schools

The "public" purpose of the typical public high school is twofold: (1) primarily and mainly to prepare its graduates to enter the labor force; and, (2) also to prepare a segment, usually a minority, of its students, to continue on to post-secondary education (i.e. vocational school or technical school, community college or junior college, and university).

At present it remains indeterminate whether social conflicts between elements of these two groups result in a diminution in overall quality of individual educational attainment and experience. The presence of such conflict may be an impetus for the development of, and support for, University-preparatory schools, wherein all, rather than only a portion, of the students enrolled aspire to attend university.

Public high schools, government supervision, and the communities they serve

Public high schools, like their private counterparts, provide open forums for communication between students, teachers, administration, and parents, but subject to the limitations specified above. The format of these schools nevertheless provide for interaction (albeit government-supervised) between students and teachers, thus providing an opportunity for public-school students to interact with adults beyond their immediate family.

Programs at public high schools

Public schools may offer a variety of programs, including magnet programs (which allow students to study the basics of a given career or career field) or International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (a rigorous academic program). There are several levels of coursework, as well, including regular or average coursework (taught on the high school level), advanced or honors coursework (taught on an advanced high school level), Advanced Placement (college-level work taught in a high school setting and offering tests at the end of the academic year that give high school students the opportunity to earn college credit), dual enrollment (college courses made available to high school students at taxpayer expense, and wherein a grade that is considered passing results in high-school and post-secondary credit), and remedial classes (for students who need extra attention to meet benchmarks).

Many public high schools provide both curricular and extra-curricular services on a par with those of some private schools. These activities allow students to form friendships with people they might not otherwise meet, and to pursue or further develop interests. Some national clubs and activities available to most schools include:

Band
Key Club
DECA
FBLA
National Honor Society
Orchestra
National Forensic League (Speech and debate, not crime-solving)
Science Olympiad
Student Council
Future Farmers of America

Secondary school

2008-07-29T20:41:00.000-07:00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of compulsory schooling, known as secondary education, takes place. It follows on from primary or elementary education.

There are many different types of secondary school, and the terminology used varies around the world. Children usually transfer to secondary school between the ages of 11-14 years, and finish between the ages of 16-18 years, though there is considerable variation from country to country.

In North America, although typically referring to high school (freshman through senior year) in the United States, the term secondary school may refer to grades 7 to 12, which includes junior high school as well as high school. In Ontario and British Columbia, secondary school is synonymous with high school and refers only to grades 9 to 12.

In England and Wales, secondary school is for children from the ages of 11 to 16 or 18.^[1] Secondary school incorporates Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 of the National Curriculum (or years 7 to Year 11 ) and can also include sixth form. After 16, compulsory education ends, and young people can decide whether to continue their studies further, either at school or sixth form college, or enter the world of work.

Nomenclature

The names used to describe the institutions used for secondary education vary from country to country. Sometimes, the same terminology is used in different countries but with very different meanings.

High school

2008-07-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A high school is the name used in some parts of the world, but particularly in North America, Scotland and Australia, to describe an institution which provides all or part of secondary education. The precise stage of schooling provided by a high school differs from country to country, and may vary within the same jurisdiction. In parts of Australia and Canada, high school is synonymous with secondary school, and encompasses the entire secondary stage of education. High school can also be the point in life for many students where they mature and develop a deeper sense of understanding about themselves and the people around them. Alternatively, some students will undergo this transitional stage later on in life when they enter college or university, although this is usually a continued progression that originates in high school.

In the 1950s, most "high schools" in Canada changed their official names to more closely reflect their scope. While "high school" is still the colloquial term, they became "... Collegiate" or "... Collegiate and Vocational Institute" as well as "... Comprehensive ..." ("... Polyvalente ..." in French.)

Australia

In Victoria the name was officially changed to secondary college in the early 1990s, however some of the adult population refer to the period as "high school". In the Australian Capital Territory high school is years 7-10, and students go to senior school for years 11-12.

In some states TAFE institutes/colleges offer high school equivalent courses, usually undertaken by adult students who left school without completing/undertaking Year 12 leaving certificate requirements. There are also private commercial education facilities offering Year 12 leaving certificate courses, often to students wishing to improve on their high school results in order to obtain entry to, or better placement opportunities at, university.

The exact length of secondary schooling varies from state to state, with high schools in New South Wales and Victoria serving years 7-12, and Western Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory and South Australia serving years 8-12. In 2007 Northern Territory is introducing a Middle School system for years 7-9 and high school will be years 10-12. In 2010 Western Australia will implement year 7 into the high school, reflecting that of New South Wales and Victoria.

The age until which it is compulsory to attend school varies by state:

15 in New South Wales, the ACT, and Northern Territory
16 in South Australia (17 in 2009) and Victoria
17 in Tasmania, Queensland, and Western Australia

In some states students can leave school at a younger age usually 14 if they are involved in other full-time activities such as work, apprenticeship or TAFE.

The matter of compulsory attendance has been complicated by various initiatives at Commonwealth and State level to ensure that young people are in school, training or employment. There are calls to replace compulsory attendance age with compulsory achievement requirements, meaning that students must complete their final year level rather than being able to leave at reaching "leaving age". There are also calls to make attendance to the end of year 12 mandatory.

Brazil

In Brazil, high school is officially called Ensino Médio and is also informally known as Colegial or Segundo Grau. It is the last phase to the basic education in this country. Brazilian high school lasts 3 years, attempting to deepen what students learn in elementary school and junior high. A Brazilian high school student is referenced by their year - 1st, 2nd and 3rd years.

Unlike some countries, Brazilian students don't have a final test to conclude studies. Your approval depends only on your final grade on each subject. Each university elaborates its own test to select new students - this test is called the "vestibular", and happens once a year, mainly. Enem, a non-mandatory national exam, evaluates high school students in Brazil and is used to rank schools, both private and public.

Education is a strong issue in Brazil and one shall distinguish among public and private high schools. The best scores in vestibular and in Enem ^[1] and the best universities are also concentrated on the South-east zone of the country, that covers from São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. The lack of funds and historical and social problems contribute majorly to a poor frequency from the students, especially those in public schools. Some ones, nevertheless, are national models, such as the Colégio Pedro II, created on the 19th century for this inphant emperor.

Private establishments, on the other hand, may be recognized as excellent or just a good investment. Schedule varies from school to school. The subjects, however, are conceived by the Ministério da Educação (Ministry of Education) and are particularly accurate on the scientific area (such as Chemistry).

Educational year starts on February and ends on December - but institutions are allowed to define the dates by their own. They must grant 200 days of classes, though.

Universites are also divided in public and private. In this level, however, public ones are considered as excellent and their vestibular exam is very competitive (the exam for med school in UNICAMP may hit 300 candidates per place). For a better preparation, therefore, parents pay also a curso pré-vestibular (external classes that prepares the exams). Larger private institutions offer, today, high school and curso pré-vestibular.

Canada

Secondary schooling in Canada differs depending on the province in which one resides. In Ontario, high school is usually from grades 9 to 12, but can be from 7 to 12 depending on the school's location (urban/rural). In most urban areas in Ontario, schools with grades 7 and 8 are referred to as Middle School or Senior Public. When grades 7 - 9 are together, it is referred to as Junior High School. In Alberta high school starts in grade 10 and finshes in grade 12. However in Quebec, high school is from Secondary 1 to Secondary 5 (grades 7 to 11[1]). In Quebec most students follow high school by attending a CÉGEP, which is comparable to a two-year junior college and is obligatory for Quebec students wishing to go on to university. Vocational CÉGEP is three years.

Education is compulsory up to the age of 16 in every province in Canada, except for New Brunswick (where the compulsory age is 18). Students may continue to attend high school until the ages of 19 to 21 (the cut-off age for high school varies between province). Those 19 and over may attend adult school. Also if high schoolers are expelled or suspended for a period of time over 2 months or so they could attend night school at the high school.

Originally schools were divided by religion, although most provinces have since abolished these. Provinces such as Ontario, Alberta, and certain cities in Saskatchewan are exceptions, publicly funded by a separate school board.

Quebec replaced their religious based system with an English and French school board system in 1998. Students in Quebec can only attend a publicly funded English-language school (through high school) if at least one of their parents attended an English-language school somewhere in Canada. Otherwise, their only publicly funded option would be a French-language school. This requirement was implemented to encourage the children of immigrants living in Quebec to attend French-language schools. Of course, anyone is free to choose to pay to attend a private school in the language he or she chooses.

There are a variety of private schools across Canada. The first school was opened by Carl Hunso, an American biologist in 1780^{[citation needed]}

Finland

The Finnish education system is a comparatively egalitarian Nordic system. This means for example no tuition fees for full-time students and free meals are served to pupils. There are private schools but they are made unattractive by legislation.

Upper secondary school, unlike vocational school, concludes with a nationally graded matriculation examination (ylioppilastutkinto, studentexamen). Passing the test is a de facto prerequisite for further education. The system is designed so that approximately the lowest scoring 5% fails in each exam and also 5% get the best grade. The exam allows for a limited degree of specialization in either natural sciences or social sciences. The graduation is an important and formal family event, like christening, wedding, and funeral.

In the OECD's international assessment of student performance, PISA, Finland has consistently been among the highest scorers worldwide; in 2003, Finnish 15-year-olds came first in reading literacy, science, and mathematics; and second in problem solving, worldwide. The World Economic Forum ranks Finland's tertiary education #1 in the world.^[2]

India

In India, high school is a grade of education which includes Standards IX to XII. Standards XI and XII are also called Senior Secondary School or Junior College. Some states refer to Standards IX and X as High School, while XI and XII are termed as Intermediate. Other states refer to VI, VII, VIII, IX and X (grades 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10) as Secondary School and XI and XII (grades 11 and 12) as Senior Secondary School. Usually, students from ages 14 to 18 study in this section. These schools may be affiliated to national boards like CBSE or ISC or various state boards. Education is compulsory until age 14. The education system in India is considered to be one of the hardest in the world.

Ireland

In Ireland, students attend secondary school from first year through sixth (usually aged 12 to 18), with an optional 4th year known as Transition Year. Once a student turns 16, they have the option to legally leave school. Secondary school is divided into three parts; the Junior Cycle, encompassing first year through third, at the end of which students sit the Junior Certificate; Transition Year, an optional fourth year; and the Senior Cycle, from fifth year through sixth, at the end of which students sit the Leaving Certificate.

Israel

In Israel, high school or Tichon (intermediary school, in Hebrew) is a three-year school period, from the 10th to the 12th grade. Only the first year of high school is compulsory, yet most pupils in Israel attend high school. High school prepares the pupil to the Bagrut examination, which is obligatory in order to continue to higher education institution and in order to be accepted for most jobs.

Japan

Japanese high school students wearing the seifuku

The Japanese word for a high school is kōtōgakkō (高等学校; literally high school), or kōkō (高校) in short. High school in Japan covers grades 10 through 12, and it is not mandatory. Most Japanese people attend high school. The third year of high school in Japan is allotted for students to prepare for college exams known as "juken" （受験）. Others may wish to settle for a job instead. High schools in Japan are referred to by MEXT as "upper secondary schools." However most English-language newspapers and sources use the term "high school". Many school boards also use "high school"; for instance the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education uses "senior high school".

Macedonia

High school in Macedonia is called "средно училиште" or "middle school", and the structure is left from the socialists period. Reforms are conducting at the moment, so the education would be appropriate with the most of the leading world countries.That means that there are still many forms. In general there is high school for preparing for every faculty on the university. There are: electro technical high school, mechanical high school, economics high school, pharmaceutical, medical,...and natural sciences and linguistics gymnasium. The high school is attended between the years of 14 and 18.

The Netherlands

In The Netherlands, high school is called "middelbare school" (literally: "middle school)" and starts right after the 8th grade of primary school (group 8). The pupils who attend high school are around the age of 12. And because the education in the Netherlands is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 16 (and partial compulsory between the ages of 16 and 18), all pupils must attend high school.

The high schools are part of the "voortgezet onderwijs" (literally: "continued education"). The "voortgezet onderwijs" consist of 3 main streams; vmbo (has 4 grades), havo (has 5 grades) and vwo (has 6 grades). The pupils usually can't choose the type of secondary education they want to follow, it depends on the opinion of the group 8 teacher.

Portugal

In Portuguese, the word for high school is liceu or now commonly called Escola Secundária (secondary school which also includes 7 to 9 grade) and covers grades 10 through 12 (ages 14 or 15 to 17 or 18). After this period, students will ingress into an Universidade (University) or Politécnico (Polytechnic). Students may choose to pursue an artistic career instead of continuing their studies. Nowadays, the Portuguese government is pondering about extending compulsory education to grade 12 or 18 years of age, instead of grade 9. In the Portuguese high schools, one cannot pass onto the next year until he or she got the correct grades to pass, to fail in Portuguese is (chumbar) or (passar) to pass.

Republic of Korea (South Korea)

In South Korea, students from grades 10 through 12 attend high schools. A student may choose, however, the class he or she wishes to take for liberal arts. High schools in South Korea may also have subject specialty tracks. For example, students who have a talent for science, foreign language, physical activity, art, etc.. may choose to go to an academic science or foreign language and other specialty high school (hangul:특수목적고등학교;Revised:Teuksu-mokjeok godeung hakgyo)

Gyeonggibuk Science High School, a specialty high school of Korea

Most Korean students may choose to go to common high school (hangul:인문계 고등학교; Revised:Inmun-Gyae godeung hakgyo) ; and other students may choose a vocational track high school which emphasizes agriculture, commerce, or technical trade curricula (hangul:전문계 고등학교; Revised:'Jeonmun Gyae godeung hakgyo)

High schools are called 고등학교 (Revised: godeung hakgyo; McCune-Reischauer: kodŭng hakkyo).

Taiwan

The secondary education in Taiwan includes junior high school, senior high school, vocational high school, military school and complete high school. The traditional secondary education institutions were established during the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945)." Today, they include many features from the United States.

After six years in elementary school, the rules typically state that children must enter junior high school, or their parents may be fined. There are three grades in junior high. Children who achieve the third grade can choose to enter senior high school, vocational high school or complete high school. If children want to continue their formal education, they must sit for an exam. Generally speaking, the grade to enter high school and complete high school is highest, while it is lower to go on to vocational high school and military school.

Senior high school has three grades. Graduates from senior high school often continue on to university. Vocational high school has three grades as well. Children who complete vocational high school can then enter a technological university. Complete high school is like that of American high schools, in that it has grades seven to grade twelve.

There are also international schools such as Taipei American School (TAS) and Taipei European School (TES). These schools offer grades from Kindergarten to grade 12. English is instructed for all courses. Since the curriculum concurs with the corresponding country's curriculum, graduates from these international schools generally do not stay in Taiwan for their undergraduate degree.

South Africa

In South Africa, high school begins at 8th Grade. Students study for five years, at the end of which they write what is known as "matric" The system used to be based on Higher or Standard grade. As of 2008; students must attain a pass in their Home Language, Additional Language,Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy and Life Orientation to progress on to university. Officially the Senior Certificate to be changed to the National Senior Certificate in 2008 and the system of higher and standard grade has been dropped. An alternative examination is possible in the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) exams. They are set up by a board, representing many private schools.

Sweden and Denmark

In Sweden and Denmark it´s mandatory to be in school until 9th year of school education even though a majority of pupils between ages 15 to 19 usually go through the "Gymnasium", which can either be University-preparatory or give practical skills in a profession per se. Starting age for school education is now set at 6 years old.

United Kingdom

Wetherby High School, a former secondary modern school in Wetherby, West Yorkshire to adopt the term 'High School'.

The term "high school" is not used generically in the UK, although many secondary schools call themselves high schools, particularly in Scotland, the north of England and in some parts of Wales. Secondary schools in the state sector in the UK generally cater for children between the ages of 11 and 16 or 18.^[3] In the private sector pupils often transfer to the final stage of education at age 13. The term high school is used specifically in some counties as follows:

In Leicestershire, the label "high school" applies to a small group of middle schools, which accept pupils between the ages of 10 and 14, before moving on to their final stage of secondary education.
In Liverpool and its surrounding area secondary schools are named high schools (eg Broadgreen High School)
Most secondary schools in Manchester are named high schools (see list of secondary schools in Manchester)
In Herefordshire, many state secondary schools name themselves high schools (eg Wigmore High School).
In Kent and other English counties which still retain their grammar schools, their non-selective comprehensive schools are often called high schools.
The Isle of Wight retains a three-tier schooling system. Its five state-run 'High Schools' are so named to differentiate them from secondary schools, which have a different age range.
In Northumberland there still exists a three tier education system comprising of First, Middle and High school. High Schools within Northumberland cater for pupils from Year 9 to Sixth Form (ages 13 to 18). There is currently a fairly high profile campaign within Northumberland to save the three tier system as it has been proposed to abolish it and adopt the standard Primary and Secondary school system as in the rest of England.

United States

In the United States a high school is an upper secondary school which educates children from grade nine through grade twelve^[4], in other words, from the age of about 14 to about 18. Prior to attending high school, many children in the United States attend a middle school, a junior high school or an intermediate school (usually grades 5-8, 6-8, 7-8, 7-9 or 8-9).^[5]^[6]

Individual states, counties, and school districts have considerable leeway in how they choose to divide their school levels. Students will generally graduate from high school in the year of their 18th birthday if they were born between January 1 and August 31, but this varies by state depending on the kindergarten cut-off date, which ranges from August 1 in Missouri to January 1 in Connecticut.^[7] A few American schools still incorporate grades 7 through 12, but it is usually either grades 9-12 or grades 10-12 although some states split grades 9-10 and 11-12 into a high school and senior high school. For purposes of the Grade Point Average (GPA) and subject requirements used for college admission, grade 9 is usually considered the first year of high school regardless of whether the student is in the last year of a 7-9 junior high program, or the first year of a 9-12 high school program. While high school is generally defined as being grades 9-12, there are some senior high schools that cover only grades 10-12, and typically accept students from a junior high school that includes grades 7-9. Some states consider grades 7-12 to be secondary education, while others consider grades 6-12 to be secondary education.

As a practical matter, while laws in most states mandate school attendance at least until graduation or age 16, many require attendance until age 17 or 18. (Enforcement of truancy laws is sometimes sporadic.) Conversely, students who have failed a grade may remain in high school past the age of 18. In general, students over 19 attend alternative classes to receive a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) certificate. State laws vary on the cut-off age for students to receive free public education services. Many states have adult high schools for people generally 19 and over. Students can stay in high school past the age of 18 if it is deemed appropriate. They cannot stay past a certain age depending on the state. On average 71% of American students graduate from high school.^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11] A high school diploma or GED certificate is usually required for entrance into a two or four-year college or university and to other post-secondary education programs.

High schools can usually be sub-classed as general high schools, vocational high schools (VoTech schools), and college preparatory high schools (prep schools) and Alternative high schools. Most high schools are general high schools. These schools offer a wide range of educational opportunities intended for the widest range of students possible. These general population schools offer college preparatory classes for advanced students, general education classes for average students and remedial courses for those who are struggling. Students can "mix and match" course levels according to their own abilities or interests.

In some school districts exceptionally high-performing students are offered enrollment at a district college preparatory high school. Traditionally "prep schools" in North America were usually private institutions, though most medium or large public (state) school districts now offer prep schools for advanced students. Public prep schools draw the top students from their district and have strict entrance requirements. All academic classes offered in these schools are classified as honors, International Baccalaureate, or Advanced Placement.

Vocational high schools offer hands-on training to students that prepares them for careers in fields such as information technology, marketing, business, engineering and the medical professions. While some graduates of vocational or career and technical education high schools will go directly into a trade, others will pursue postsecondary education. Vocational high schools are sometimes but not always associated with low-performing students (not necessarily special education students) or those at risk of dropping out of traditional schools, in order to offer these students the chance to earn their diploma and have marketable skills after graduation. The Association for Career and Technical Education is the largest national education association dedicated to career and technical education.

Alternative high schools are offered for students who have major disciplinary or mental health difficulties that make it problematic to educate them in traditional high school settings. Some alternative high schools are assigned as security risks, where the school houses students who are not yet old enough to legally leave school and are considered a danger to other students or teachers, but have not been convicted of a crime. Some alternative high schools are dedicated to students with drug or mental health difficulties and have medical and psychological staff on site. A few of these schools include a nursery and a child care staff so that teen parents can finish their education without having to find child care during the school day. Alternative high schools may have their own campus, but are often located in a section or wing of a general high school.

Alternative school can also refer to a school with a more flexible program of study or teaching methods.

Another recent form of high school that has emerged is the online high school. Stanford University's own Education Program for Gifted Youth recently received a generous donation and used it to create the first truly complete online high school, with an interactive and advanced program for advanced learners.

High School in the United States usually begins in late August or early September of each year, and ends in late May or early June. During the excess two and a half months, the students are given summer vacation to rest from the hectic school year.

9th Grade - Freshman Year
10th Grade - Sophomore Year
11th Grade - Junior Year
12th Grade - Senior Year

Secondary education

2008-07-29T20:28:00.000-07:00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Secondary education is the stage of education following primary school. Secondary education is generally the final stage of compulsory education. The next stage of education is usually college or university. Secondary education is characterized by transition from the typically compulsory, comprehensive primary education for minors to the optional, selective tertiary, "post-secondary", or "higher" education (e.g., university, vocational school) for adults. Depending on the system, schools for this period or a part of it may be called secondary schools, high schools, gymnasia, lyceums, middle schools, colleges, vocational schools and preparatory schools, and the exact meaning of any of these varies between the systems.

The exact boundary between primary and secondary education varies from country to country and even within them, but is generally around the fifth to the tenth year of education. Secondary education occurs mainly during the teenage years. In the United States and Canada primary and secondary education together are sometimes referred to as K-12 education. In Australia it is known as P-12 education

The purpose of secondary education can be to give common knowledge, to prepare for either higher education or vocational education, or to train directly to a profession.

Australia

School is compulsory in Australia between the ages of six and fifteen-seventeen depending on the state, with, in recent years, over three-quarters of students staying on until they are eighteen. Government schools educate about two-thirds of Australian students, with the other third in independent schools, a proportion which is rising in many parts of Australia. Government schools are free although most schools charge what are known as "voluntary" contributions, while independent schools, both religious and secular, charge fees. Regardless of whether a school is government or independent, they are required to adhere to the same curriculum frameworks. Most school students, be they in government or independent school, usually wear uniforms, although there are varying expectations.

Finland

The second level education is not compulsory, but an overwhelming majority attends. There is a choice between upper secondary school (lukio, gymnasium) and vocational school (ammatillinen oppilaitos, yrkesinstitut). Graduates of both upper secondary school and vocational school can apply to study in further education (University and Polytechnics).

Upper secondary school, unlike vocational school, concludes with a nationally graded matriculation examination (ylioppilastutkinto, studentexamen). Passing the test is a de facto prerequisite for further education. The system is designed so that approximately the lowest scoring 5% fails and also 5% get the best grade. The exam allows for a limited degree of specialization in either natural sciences or social sciences. The graduation is an important and formal family event, like christening, wedding, and funeral.

Hong Kong

Secondary education in Hong Kong is largely based on the British education system. Secondary school starts in the seventh year, or Form One, of formal education, after Primary Six. Students normally spend five years in secondary schools, of which the first three years (Forms One to Three) are free and compulsory like primary education. Forms Four and Five students prepare for the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE), which takes place after Form Five. Students obtaining a satisfactory grade will be promoted to Form Six. They then prepare for the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE) (colloquially the A-levels), which is to be taken after Form Seven. The HKALE and HKCEE results will be considered by universities for admission. Some secondary schools in Hong Kong are called 'colleges'. In some schools, Form Six and Form Seven are also called Lower Six and Upper Six respectively.

The HKCEE is equivalent to the British GCSE and HKALE is equivalent to the British A-level.

As of October 2004, there has been heated discussion on proposed changes in the education system, which includes (amongst others) reduction of the duration of secondary education from seven years to six years, and merging the two exams HKCEE and HKALE into one exam. The proposed changes will take effect within the next few years.

India

In India, high school is a grade of education from Standards IX to XII. Standards XI and XII are also called Higher Secondary School, Senior Secondary School or Junior College. Usually, students from ages 14 to 18 study in this section. These schools may be affiliated to national boards like CBSE or various state boards. Education is compulsory until age 14. Most Schools are stand alone units except a few like the Delhi Public School Society which has 125 schools across the country. Most schools are day schools in major cities however, there are some popular residential schools such as the Doon school, Scindia school, etc.

Malaysia

Secondary education, like primary education is now compulsory in Malaysia. Primary schools run from Year 1 to Year 6 (also known as Standard 1 to 6, for children aged 6+ to 12+), at the end of which they sit for the UPSR (Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah or Primary School Assessment Examination). Secondary schools run for seven years, known as Forms 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Lower 6 and Upper 6. Not all schools offer all forms. Many secondary schools stop at Form 5. Forms 1 to 3 are known as the lower secondary level and at the end of Form 3, pupils sit for the PMR (Penilaian Menengah Rendah or Lower Secondary Assessment) examination. This replaced the SRP (Sijil Rendah Pelajaran) or LCE (Lower Certificate of Education) where a pass was required for promotion to Form 4. At the end of Form 5, pupils sit for the SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia or MCE Malaysia Certificate of Education), equivalent to the O-Level examination. (The label is based on the old British examination known as the 'School Certificate' examination.) At the end of Upper 6, pupils sit for the STPM (Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia, formerly HSC Higher School Certificate). (The label is based on the old British examination, the 'Higher School Certificate', and this name is still used in Australia.) Automatic promotion up to Form 5 has been in place since 1996.

Mexico

Lower-secondary education (3 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, Upper-Secondary Education is non-compulsory and has three pathways: General upper-secondary, Technical professional education, and Technological upper-secondary.^[2]

New Zealand

In New Zealand students attend secondary school from the ages from about 13 to 18. Formerly known as Forms 3 to 7, these grades are now known as Years 9 to 13. Schooling is compulsory until the student's 15th (with permission) or 16th birthday. In some areas of the country, secondary school is colloquially known as "college". NCEA is the Government-supported school qualification. New Zealand also has intermediate schools, but these cover the last two years of primary education (years 7 and 8) and are not secondary schools.

Pakistan

Secondary school in Pakistan begins from grade 9 and lasts for four years. Upon completion of grade 10, students are expected to take a standardised test administered by a regional 'Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education'. Upon successful completion of this examination, they are awarded a 'Secondary School Certificate' or SSC. This used to be called matriculation certificate or matric for short. Students then enter a college and complete grades 11 and 12. Upon completion of grade 12, they again take a standardised test which is also administered by the regional boards. Upon successful completion of this test, students are awarded the 'Higher Secondary School Certificate' or HSSC. This used to be called the F.Sc./F.A. or 'intermediate'. There are many streams students can choose for their 11 and 12 grades, such as pre-medical, pre-engineering, humanities, social sciences, business, and theology. Some technical streams have recently been introduced for grades 11 and 12. It is important to note that the two subjects 'Pakistan Studies' and 'Islamic Studies' or Islamiyat are compulsory and taught at every level.

Republic of Ireland

In the Republic of Ireland secondary school starts at the age of 12, and lasts three or optionally five or six years. The main types of secondary school are: community schools, comprehensive schools, colleges (though this term is more usually applied to third-level institutions like universities), vocational schools, voluntary secondary schools and meánscoileanna (secondary schools that teach all subjects through Irish). After three years (age 15-16), every student takes a compulsory state exam known as the Junior Certificate. Typically a student will sit exams in 9 to 11 subjects; English, Irish and Mathematics are compulsory.

After completing the Junior Certificate, a student may continue for a further two years to take a second state exam, the Leaving Certificate, around age 18. Students typically take 6-8 subjects. Except in exceptional circumstances, subjects taken must include English, Irish and Mathematics. Leaving Certificate results directly determine admission to university via a ranking system managed by the CAO. More than 80% of students who complete the Junior Certificate continue to the Leaving Certificate.

There is an optional year in many secondary schools in Ireland known as Transition Year, which some students choose to take after completing the Junior Certificate, but before starting the Leaving Certificate. This year includes no exams, instead focusing on broadening horizons. The year is often structured around student projects such as producing a magazine, charity work, running a small business, etc. Regular classes may be mixed with classes on music, drama, public speaking, etc. Programs vary from school to school.

In addition to the main school system, Ireland has a parallel system of vocational schools, which place less focus on academic subjects and more on vocational and technical skills - around 25% of students attend these. Many vocational schools also offer night classes to adults. There is also a prominent movement known as Gaelscoileanna where every subject is taught through the Irish Language, and these are growing fast in number.

Singapore

Children attend secondary school for the first 4 levels, followed by either junior college for 2 year courses or centralised institutes for 3-year courses.

Based on results of the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), Singapore's students undergo secondary education in either the Special, Express, Normal streams or the Integrated Programme which was implemented in 2004. Both the Special and Express are 4-year courses leading up to a Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education (GCE) 'Ordinary' - 'O' level examination. The difference between Special and Express is that the former takes higher Mother Tongue, which can be used as a first language in exams instead of the subject "mother tongue" that Express students take.

The Normal stream is a four-year course leading up to a Singapore-Cambridge GCE "Normal" - "N" level examination, with the possibility of a 5th year followed by a Singapore-Cambridge GCE "Ordinary" - "O" level examination. It is split into "Normal (Academic)" and "Normal (Technical)" where in the latter students take subjects that are technical in nature, such as Design and Technology.

After the second year of a secondary school course, students are typically streamed into a wide range of course combinations, making the total number of subject they have to sit for in "O" level six to ten subjects. This includes science (Physics, Biology and Chemistry), humanities (Elective Geography/History, Pure Geography/History, Social Studies, Literature, etc.) and additional mathematics subject at a higher level, or "combined" subject modules.

Some schools have done away with the O level examination, and pupils only sit for the A level examination or the International Baccalaureate at the end of their sixth year (known as Year 6 or Junior College 2).

Co-curricular activities have become compulsory at the Secondary level, where all pupils must participate in at least one core CCA, and participation is graded together with other things like Leadership throughout the four years of Secondary education, in a scoring system. Competitions are organised so that students can have an objective towards to work, and in the case of musical groups, showcase talents.

Slovenia

In Slovenia, a variety of high-school institutions for secondary education exists one can choose in accordance with his or her interests, abilities and beliefs. The majority of them are public and government-funded, although there are some diocesan upper secondary schools and a Waldorf upper secondary school, which are private and require tuition to be paid.

Upper secondary schools (Sln. gimnazije) are the most elite and the most difficult high-school programmes, intended for the best students that wish to pursue university education in the future. They are further divided into general upper secondary schools, classical upper secondary schools, technical upper secondary schools, upper secondary schools for arts, and upper secondary schools for business. They all last for four years and conclude with a compulsory leaving examination (Sln. matura) that is a prerequsite for studying at universities. Their curricula include a wide range of subjects that should deliver a broad general knowledge.

Technical high schools last for four years and cover a wide range of disciplines. They end with a vocational leaving examination and allow pupils to study at vocational or professional colleges.

Vocational high schools come in two varieties: the dual and in school-based programme. For the former, the apprenticeship is provided by employers, while the practial training for the latter is offered in school. Both of them complete with a final examination. Students may continue their education in the two-year vocational-technical programme (colloquially known as 3+2 programme), which prepares them for vocational leaving exam if they want to pursue higher education.

The leaving exam course is a one-year programme, intended for vocational leaving exam graduates. After completing leaving exam course, they take the leaving examination, which makes the eligible for university education.

The Vocational course is a one-year programme provided to upper secondary school students who, for various reasons, do not want to continue their education. It concludes with a final examinations, qualifying the applicants for a selected occupation.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom secondary schools offer secondary education covering the later years of schooling. State secondary schools in England and Wales are classed as either (selective) grammar schools, (non-selective) comprehensive schools, city technology colleges or academies. Within Scotland, there are only two types of state-run schools, Roman Catholic or non-denominational. Most secondary schools in England and Wales are comprehensive schools. Grammar schools have been retained in some counties in England. Academies (previously known as city academies) are a new type of school introduced by the current Labour government. Independent secondary schools generally take pupils at 13.

The table below lists the equivalent secondary school year systems used in the United Kingdom:

Scotland	England, Wales	Northern Ireland	Equivalent Ages
Primary 7	Year 7 (First Form)	Year 8 (First Form)	11-12
Secondary 1	Year 8 (Second Form)	Year 9 (Second Form)	12-13
Secondary 2	Year 9 (Third Form)	Year 10 (Third Form)	13-14
Secondary 3	Year 10 (Fourth Form)	Year 11 (Fourth Form)	14-15
Secondary 4	Year 11 (Fifth Form)	Year 12 (Fifth Form)	15-16
Secondary 5	Year 12 Lower Sixth AS First Year College	Year 13 [ Post 16] Lower Sixth	16-17
Secondary 6	Year 13 Upper Sixth A2 Second Year College	Year 14 [Post 16] Upper Sixth	17-18

Private schools in England and Wales generally still refer to years 7-11 as 1st-5th Form, or alternatively privates schools refer to Year 7 as IIIrds (Thirds), Y8 as LIV (Lower Four), Y9 as UIV (Upper Four), Y10 as LV (Lower Fifth), Y11 as UV (Upper Fifth) and then Sixth-Form.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, students usually transfer from primary school straight to secondary school at age 11. In a few parts of the UK there are middle schools for ages 9 to 13 (similar to American middle schools), and upper schools for ages 13-18. It is uncommon, but sometimes secondary schools (particularly in South West Wales) can also be split into 'Upper' (ages 13-16) and 'Lower' secondary schools (ages 11-13).

Education is compulsory up until the end of year 11 (the last Friday in June in the year a person turns 16), and schooling can continue for a further two years after that. Traditionally the five years of compulsory secondary schooling from ages 11 to 16 were known as "first year" through to "fifth year," (and still are in the private sector) but were renamed in the 1990s to Year 7 through to Year 11 (Year 8 to Year 12 in Northern Ireland) with the coming of the National Curriculum. After Year 11 a student can opt to remain at school, transfer to a college, or to leave education and seek work or to start an apprenticeship. Those who stay at school enter Years 12 and 13 (Years 13 and 14 in Northern Ireland). These years are traditionally known as the Sixth Form ("Lower Sixth" and "Upper Sixth"), and require students to specialise in three to five subjects for their A Levels. In ever-increasing numbers since the 1990s some students also undertake more vocational courses at college such as a BTEC or other such qualification.

This is an unusually specialised curriculum for this age group by international standards, and recently some moves have been made to increase the number of subjects studied. After attaining the relevant A Level qualifications the student can enter university.

Scotland

In Scotland, students transfer from primary to secondary education at approximately age 12. Pupils usually attend the same secondary school as their peers, as all secondaries have 'intake primaries'. Pupils either attend a Roman Catholic, or non-denominational school according to their or more commonly their parents' beliefs. Pupils in Scotland attend the same secondary school throughout their education; there are no sixth-form colleges in Scotland.

The first and second years of secondary school (abbreviated to S1 and S2) is a continuation of the 5-14 curriculum started in primary school. After which students choose which subjects they wish to study with certain compulsory subjects such as English and mathematics. These are called standard grades and take two years to complete with an exam at the end. After standard grades, some students leave to gain employment or attend further education colleges, however nowadays most students study for Highers, of which five are usually studied. These take a year to complete. After which some students decide to apply for university or stay on for 6th year, where other Highers are gained, or Advanced Highers are studied. Due to the nature of schooling in Scotland, undergraduate honours degree programmes are four years long as matriculation is normally at the completion of highers in S5 (age 16-17), which compares with three years for the rest of the UK.

United States

As part of education in the United States, secondary education comprises grades 5,6, 7, 8, or 9 through 12. This depends on the school district and how it is comprised. 9th-12th grade is the most common grade structure for high school.