The diversification of secondary education : School curricula in comparative perspective

Abstract

The paper contends that the diversification of secondary education, while acknowledged, is not well studied. Despite the widespread expansion of secondary education in different world regions, the information available to researchers -and policy makers- for informed comparisons of secondary education systems has been, and remains, rather superficial and limited. Apart from measures of overall participation (enrolment ratios) and compulsory attendance in secondary education, almost all existing data revolves around two simple dimensiones: one hierarchical (i.e., lower vs. upper secondary education) and one programmatic (general vs, technical-vocational). Cross-national analyses based on two dimensiones provide, at best, a rather partial picture of the diversity of secondary school systems worldwide.