Student

What Exactly is a Student?

A student is more than just someone enrolled in school; they are the future builders and thinkers of our world.

The Global Landscape

In the United Kingdom, students navigate through secondary schools before pursuing higher education. But what about other parts of the globe? How do different countries define their educational journeys?

United Kingdom and Commonwealth Countries

Is a student someone who attends primary school or just those in secondary and beyond?

In the UK, students typically start their journey at age 11 when they transition from primary to secondary schools. The term ‘student’ is reserved for those attending higher education institutions like universities.

Nigeria

Nigeria’s education system is divided into primary, junior secondary, senior secondary, and university levels. Students in primary school are called pupils, while those in higher institutions are students.

South Africa

The South African education system is structured into four phases: Foundation Phase (grades 1-3), Intermediate Phase (grades 4-6), Senior Phase (grades 7-9), and Further Education and Training or FET Phase (grades 10-12). After high school, students pursue further studies for three to four years.

Singapore

In Singapore, primary education is compulsory. Students progress through Lower Primary (ages 7-9) and Upper Primary (ages 10-12), followed by Secondary School where they can choose between Express, Normal Academic, or Normal Technical streams before moving on to Junior College or Polytechnic.

Bangladesh

Primary education is compulsory in Bangladesh. Students move through six years of primary school, three years of junior secondary, and three years of senior secondary before pursuing higher education at colleges or universities.

Brunei

Education in Brunei is free and includes Primary School (Year 1 to 6), Secondary School (Year 7 to 11), High School (Year 12 to 13), Colleges, and University Level. Students here have a wide range of educational opportunities.

Cambodia

Education in Cambodia is free for primary, secondary, and high school students. After completing these levels, they can pursue higher education at colleges or universities.

India

In India, the education system includes pre-primary (Nursery to UKG), Primary (Class 1-5), Secondary (6-10), and Higher Secondary (11-12). For undergraduate studies, it typically takes three years except for certain courses like engineering or medicine which can take up to five and a half years.

Nepal

Nepal’s education system is divided into Primary School (Grade 1 to Grade 8) and Higher Secondary School (Grade 9 to Grade 12). College studies usually last four years for bachelor’s degrees, with some exceptions like MBBS which can take five and a half years.

Pakistan

In Pakistan, the education system is divided into Primary school, Secondary school, and Higher Secondary school. It takes five years to complete each stage of schooling before moving on to university studies that typically span four years for bachelor’s degrees followed by two-year master’s programs.

The Philippines

The Philippines has a K-12 system where elementary education spans grades 1 to 6 and secondary level includes junior high school (grades 7-10) and senior high school (grades 11-12).

Iran

In Iran, the 12-year school system is divided into two stages: six years of elementary school followed by six years of high school. High school students can then participate in university entrance exams.

Australia and New Zealand

Australia’s education system includes pre-school (optional), primary school (ages 5-12), and high school (ages 13-18). Students then attend tertiary education at universities or vocational training institutions. In New Zealand, primary school starts at age five, followed by intermediate school (years 7-8) and secondary school (years 9-13).

Europe

The European education system varies but generally includes preschool, primary school, lower secondary, upper secondary, and tertiary levels. In Finland, for example, children attend esikoulu at age six before moving on to peruskoulu.

France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden

In France, the term ‘étudiant’ applies to university students while ‘élève’ is used for primary and secondary school pupils. In Germany, ‘Student’ refers to university attendees with first-years called ‘Erstsemester.’ In Ireland, specific terms like ‘junior freshmen,’ ‘senior sophister,’ are used based on year level.

Canada

In Canada, education is divided into primary (grades 1-8), secondary (grades 9-12), and post-secondary levels. CEGEP in Quebec prepares students for trade or applied disciplines before university entrance.

The United States

In the US, kindergarten is the first year of schooling with pre-K becoming more common. Students progress through grades 1-8 followed by high school (grades 9-12) where they are called freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Vocational schools focus on job-specific skills.

Conclusion

A student is a journey, not just a title. Whether it’s navigating the complex paths of primary school or the rigorous challenges of university, each step shapes the future. So, wherever you are in your educational journey, remember that every day brings new opportunities to learn and grow.