Secondary education
Secondary education is preceded by basic education, which is compulsory for children aged 6 to 15 years at primary schools, special schools, gymnasiums, music and ballet schools.
Secondary education is a rich system with a wide range, providing young students with the professional preparation necessary for applying for a job or entering a university. The purpose of secondary education is to develop knowledge, skills and values, acquired at the stage of basic education by means of a more comprehensive general education or with general professional education. Secondary schools are attended by students aged 15 to 18 years. But educational programs of some schools (gymnasiums) start from an earlier age. Despite the fact that secondary education in the Czech Republic is not compulsory, most students tend to get it.
After the second stage of education, students can get:
- Secondary education where students get a final exam certificate after 1 – 2 years.
- Secondary education with a school leaving certificate, where students receive a final exam certificate and school leaving qualification certificate (for example in the field of crafts) after 2 – 3 years of studies. School leavers who get this kind of certificate usually don’t proceed to the next level of education; instead, they start working in their chosen field.
- Secondary education with a final examination, where after 4 year of studies, a school leaver gets a certificate of passing a final exam. The final exam consists of several parts – a Czech language exam and other exams depending on the academic major and the student’s choice.
Secondary education institutions can be divided into 3 main types:
- Gymnasiums (8 year, 6 years and 4 year gymnasiums)
- Secondary professional school
- Secondary vocational schools