Figure 1.--Religious groups in many countries play an important role in education. Many religions sponsor schools.

Schools come in a wide variety of different types with many varying tendencies regarding school uniforms. There are schools structured for varying age groups and schools with all age group ogether. There are single-gender schools and coed schools. There are state and private schools. There are secular and religious schools. There are suburban, rural, and inter city schools. There are schools for specific ethnic or national groups. There are academically selctive and comprehensive schools. There are boarding and day schools. Many other different types of schools exist. There are also specialized schools addressing the needs of handicapped children, such as the Perkins School for the Blind. in the United States. These schools in different countries have had a variety of uniforms and dress codes. Some of these schools had destinctive uniforms. Many schools, especially state schools, have not had uniforms--although this trend has begun to change in some countries. One type of private school especially common in America was the military school. Several of the different country sections have pages on the different types of schools in various countries.

Age Levels

Schools come in a wide variety of different types with many varying tendencies regarding school uniforms. There are schools structured for varying age groups and schools with all age group ogether.

Gender

One historic controversy in educaion was the educatiojnal benefits of separating boys and girls or educating them together. This controversy contiinued to this day, although most schools are now coeducational. There continue to be both single-gender schools and coed schools. Coeducation was in most countries first adopted in primary schools and only later in secondary schools. Here there are wide variations between counties and over time. America was one of the first countries to enbrace coeducation. Single gender schools will still very common in most countries the time of World War II (1939-45), however, many countries increasingly turned to coeducation. I am not sure why so many countries began shifting to coeducation at this time. There are state and private schools that were single gender schools. In many countries it was the private chools that were the most resistant to coeducation. While many private schools have now shifted to coeducation, many of the remaining single gender schools are private schools. One exception here is the Islamic world which still has many state oprerated sngle gender schools.

Religious Association

There are secular and religious schools. There are suburban, rural, and inter city schools.

Ethnicity

There are schools for specific ethnic or national groups. This is especially the case in multi-ethnic countries. Here we do not mean countries like America where immogrants from different countries assimilated to a dominant national culture. Rather we are talkinbg about countries which have different traditions, often ethnic traditions hardened by different languages, countries like Belgium and Canada. Religion is also often but not always a factor. Some countries like Swiyzeeland have been more successful and delaing with these differences.

Curriculum

There are academically selctive and comprehensive schools. There are boarding and day schools. Many other different types of schools exist.

Specialized Schools

State Schools

These schools in different countries have had a variety of uniforms and dress codes. Some of these schools had destinctive uniforms. Many schools, especially state schools, have not had uniforms--although this trend has begun to change in some countries.

Private Schools

Charity Schools

Military Schools

One type of private school especially common in America was the military school. Military schools have been operated in many European countries and America. We have relatively little information on them, especially before the 20th century. We do know that some were operating in the 17th century, but a few may have been founded earlier. The fact that many officers bought their commissions meant that military scools in the modern sence were not needed. The age of the boys and conditions varied substantially from to school.

Country Trends

Several of the different country sections have pages on the different types of schools in various countries.

Created: October 17, 2002
Last updated: October 17, 2002