In Switzerland, the system of secondary and higher education is very intricate and complex on the one hand, on the other hand, this system gives many opportunities for children to receive a varied and high-quality education, while focusing on the needs and abilities of each individual student.
There are 3 levels of education in Switzerland.
1 level (dt. Primarstufe) or so-called. the primary level of education starts at the age of 4 and lasts 8 years, including two years of compulsory kindergarten attendance.
2 level (dt. Sekundarstufe 1) or the so-called. secondary school lasts 3 years and ends at the end of secondary school.
These first two educational levels are compulsory for all children who live in Switzerland.
After schoolchildren complete compulsory secondary school or dt. Sekundarstufe 1, then they get the opportunity to continue their education at the 3rd level (dt. Sekundarstufe 2). About 10% of Swiss students go to work immediately after school, but 90% choose to continue their studies. In this case, they have the following options - to go to study at a gymnasium (dt, gymnasiale Maturitätsschule), so that after successfully completing it, they can enter a classical university, an university of applied sciences or a pedagogical university. Education in the gymnasium lasts 3-4 years.
In addition, there is still the opportunity to go to study at a Swiss technical school (dt. Fachmittelschule) to get an applied specialty, and in addition, after graduating from a technical school, if the graduate has such a desire, he or she can also enter a university. Education in the Swiss technical school lasts 4 years.
For those graduates of the school who want to combine the possibility of work and study, there is another opportunity for training - this is studying at a vocational school (dt. berufliche Grundbildung). This type of education assumes that you will study and work at the same time in the profession of your choice. This form of education also lasts 4 years, but after it you do not have the right to enter the university. The advantage of this form of education is that it allows you not only to study, but also immediately to earn money in your chosen specialty. Applicants in Switzerland are offered about 250 working specialties to choose from. I must say that the majority of Swiss school graduates choose this form of continuing education.