schoolniveaus

Schoolniveaus, or school levels, refer to the hierarchical stages in a formal education system, defined by age ranges, curricula, and the qualifications students earn at each stage. They help organize learning, track achievement, and determine pathways for further study or vocational training. The exact structure and names of levels vary by country, but the general concept is widely used in policy, school administration, and public discourse.

In the Netherlands, the education system is commonly divided into basisonderwijs (primary education) and voortgezet onderwijs (secondary education). Basisonderwijs covers the early school years, after which students enter voortgezet onderwijs. This secondary track comprises three main routes: VMBO (voorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs, preparatory middle-level vocational education), HAVO (hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs, higher general secondary education), and VWO (voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs, pre-university education). VMBO prepares for MBO (middelbaar beroepsonderwijs, middle-level applied education) programs, HAVO prepares students for HBO (hoger beroepsonderwijs, universities of applied sciences), and VWO prepares students for WO (universities, research universities). Graduation from these tracks yields diplomas that certify the achieved level and enable entry to the next stage of education or to the labor market. Higher education itself is organized into MBO, HBO, and WO, with varying programs and degrees.

In other Dutch-speaking regions, such as parts of Belgium, schoolniveaus follow similar principles but with country-specific arrangements and terminology. The concept remains a foundational way to categorize education, plan curricula, and assess and compare educational attainment.