8531 General secondary education

This class includes the provision of education that lays the foundation for lifelong learning and human development and is capable of furthering education opportunities. Activities classified in this class are based on programmes that are usually on a more subject-oriented curriculum using more specialised teachers and more often employing several teachers conducting classes in their field of specialisation.

Subject specialisation at this level often begins to have some influence even on the educational experience of those pursuing a general programme. Such programmes are designed to qualify students either for technical and vocational education or for entrance to higher education without any special subject prerequisite.

This class includes:

• lower general secondary education corresponding more or less to compulsory school age
• upper general secondary education, whether granting access or not to higher education

This class excludes:

• non-formal education and training, see 855