What Do Primary, Secondary, and Post-Secondary Education Mean?
Each country has its own educational methods and systems. But, even within the same country, there can be differences in terminology and in how the schooling system is set up. That can lead to confusion in understanding the other systems or their various stages, especially in relation to one's own experience.
Luckily, the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) provides an official framework to help compare various international educational systems across the world. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most popular education terms by explaining what each primary, secondary, and post-secondary education mean and how they are different from one another.
What Is Primary Education?
Primary education is generally used to describe the first stage of formal education, which comes after pre-school and kindergarten. Primary education is also known as elementary education, it is the first stage of basic education, or first and before middle school. The length of primary education and the term that’s associated with it depends on the country of location, but it typically covers the first six years of a child’s formal education and typically occurs between the ages of 5 and 11. Primary education is equivalent to ISCED Level 1 and is compulsory in almost every country.
What Is Secondary Education?
Secondary education is the next stage of formal education after primary education. Secondary education is often split up into two different sections—lower secondary education and upper secondary education.
Lower secondary education follows directly after primary education and is considered the second stage of basic education, or ISCED Level 2. Lower secondary education generally occurs between the ages of 11 and 14 and can also be referred to as middle school.
Upper secondary education follows directly after lower secondary education and is considered ISCED Level 3. Upper secondary education generally occurs between the ages of 14 and 18 and can also be referred to as high school. Secondary education is compulsory in various countries until the age of 16, but this is not a standardized requirement globally.
What Is Post-Secondary Education?
Post-secondary education—also known as tertiary education—follows secondary education. Post-secondary education generally includes education at colleges, universities, or trade schools and typically occurs after the age of 18, though students in some countries may start a little younger. ISCED Levels 4 through 8 correspond to different levels of post-secondary education as follows:
ISCED level 4 - Post-secondary non-tertiary education and tertiary education (such as pre-university diploma programs, vocational training, advanced certificates)
ISCED level 5 - Short-cycle tertiary education (including community college education, associate degree, technician or advanced/higher vocational training, higher technical education, professional training college)
ISCED level 6 - Bachelor’s or equivalent level
ISCED level 7 - Master’s or equivalent level
ISCED level 8 - Doctoral or equivalent level
At Tiyara, we know the importance of education as we seek to provide educational opportunities that will make life-changing differences for under-resourced young women and men in India, equipping them to pursue professional and skilled employment. Some of these young women and men have had their lives changed by crime, others’ families are constantly struggling to get by, and some are from indigenous populations that are often discriminated against.
You can help make a difference by providing technology for our students, other education-related costs, or by putting a deserving young person through college!