secundair

Secundair is the Dutch term for secondary, used to describe the stage of formal education that follows primary education in Dutch-speaking regions. It encompasses the organized schools and programs that prepare students for higher education, vocational training, or entry into the workforce. The term and the concept are most commonly referenced in the Netherlands and the Flemish part of Belgium, where the structure and terminology vary by country and region.

In the Netherlands, voortgezet onderwijs (secondary education) is divided into three main tracks: VMBO (preparatory secondary education), HAVO (senior general secondary education), and VWO (pre-university education). VMBO lasts about four years and often leads to MBO vocational programs, while HAVO (five years) and VWO (six years) prepare students for higher education, with HAVO leading to HBO (universities of applied sciences) and VWO to WO (research universities). Within VMBO and VWO, students may follow tracks or profiles that emphasize different subjects to suit their goals and interests.

In Belgium, secunair onderwijs in Flanders is organized into several types of tracks, commonly abbreviated as ASO (algemeen secundair onderwijs), TSO (technisch secundair onderwijs), BSO (beroepssecundair onderwijs), and KSO (kunstsecundair onderwijs). The system traditionally groups instruction into cycles, typically spanning from ages 12 to 18, with ASO generally oriented toward higher education and TSO/BSO/KSO providing pathways to technical or vocational training and the labor market. In Brussels and the French-speaking parts, analogous tracks exist under different names, and reforms have aimed to integrate pathways and assessments across regions.

Etymology-wise, secundair derives from Latin secundus, meaning second, reflecting its position as the second major stage of formal education after primary schooling.