Secondary education

Secondary education is the stage of education following primary school. Secondary education
is generally the final stage of compulsory education. However, secondary education in some
countries includes a period of compulsory and a period of non-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.