Secondary Education
Secondary education in Belgium is designed to give students an increasingly more specialized education to allow them to continue on to tertiary education or enter the labor force as a skilled worker. This system is broken up into four streams that students themselves can chose to attend in order to complete their secondary education.
Upon completion of primary school in the Flemish community students are placed into streams based on academic achievement, the A stream (achievements met - 84% in 2010) or the B stream (achievements not met). Upon the completion of the first year of secondary students in the B stream may transfer to the first year of A stream.
Upon completion of primary school in the Flemish community students are placed into streams based on academic achievement, the A stream (achievements met - 84% in 2010) or the B stream (achievements not met). Upon the completion of the first year of secondary students in the B stream may transfer to the first year of A stream.
Stages of Secondary Education
There are three stages in secondary education, each two years in length and each becoming more specialized towards a specific educational path or career.
Secondary Streams
These are the four streams students can chose from for their secondary education.
General Secondary Education (ASO): This is a broad education that gives students a good basis for entry into tertiary education but is not useful for entering the labor market after secondary school. Students in these schools take more academically challenging classes to prepare them for post-secondary. Types of studies completed at these schools may be language, math, sciences or human sciences (psychology, sociology). (40% of students in 09/10)
Technical Secondary Education (TSO): This education offers general and technical/theoretical subjects, this helps prepare students for a technical profession or for entry into tertiary education. This includes practical and/or theoretical classes, with practical classes leading more to the job market and theoretical classes leading to a tertiary education. These schools also offer core educational classes but not at the same level as the ASO schools. Possible career options for students in these schools include management, health services, teaching and some practical engineering. (32% of students in 09/10)
Secondary Arts Education (KSO): a general education to prepare students for an artistic profession that also uses active art practices. Music, acting and dance are among the main focuses of these types of schools as well as general core subjects. Students may also choose to enter tertiary education after completion often to studying similar subjects at these institutions. (2% of student in 09/10)
Vocational Secondary Education (BSO): This is a practice-oriented education that prepares students for a specific occupation and also gives them a general education. Most students enter the labor market after completion but may enter tertiary education after a seventh year of secondary which grants them the same type of diploma they would receive from a TSO school. This option also allows students to study part time after the age of 15 or 16 to allow for apprenticeship or part time training programs.
General Secondary Education (ASO): This is a broad education that gives students a good basis for entry into tertiary education but is not useful for entering the labor market after secondary school. Students in these schools take more academically challenging classes to prepare them for post-secondary. Types of studies completed at these schools may be language, math, sciences or human sciences (psychology, sociology). (40% of students in 09/10)
Technical Secondary Education (TSO): This education offers general and technical/theoretical subjects, this helps prepare students for a technical profession or for entry into tertiary education. This includes practical and/or theoretical classes, with practical classes leading more to the job market and theoretical classes leading to a tertiary education. These schools also offer core educational classes but not at the same level as the ASO schools. Possible career options for students in these schools include management, health services, teaching and some practical engineering. (32% of students in 09/10)
Secondary Arts Education (KSO): a general education to prepare students for an artistic profession that also uses active art practices. Music, acting and dance are among the main focuses of these types of schools as well as general core subjects. Students may also choose to enter tertiary education after completion often to studying similar subjects at these institutions. (2% of student in 09/10)
Vocational Secondary Education (BSO): This is a practice-oriented education that prepares students for a specific occupation and also gives them a general education. Most students enter the labor market after completion but may enter tertiary education after a seventh year of secondary which grants them the same type of diploma they would receive from a TSO school. This option also allows students to study part time after the age of 15 or 16 to allow for apprenticeship or part time training programs.
Levels in Secondary Education
The Belgian Secondary education system is divided into three different levels once students have chosen what type of school they wish to attend. Each level is divided into two years of learning. The first step (years 1 and 2) are still very general in what the students learn, students will receive some specific training based on the type of school they are attending but will also take courses in core subjects like math, science, language etc. Once students have completed their first two years they begin the second step (years 3 and 4) and their studies begin to specialize a bit more taking more courses that could apply to their future studies or employment. By the final two years of study (step 3, years 5 and 6) students begin to specialize even more, taking advanced courses in their preferred study area and in some schools doing much more practical training to prepare for employment.