Article

Administrative aspects of ensuring the right to full general secondary education: The experience of EU countries

Nina Ohar Petro Petrovskyy
Abstract

The article explored the powers and activities of public authorities in EU member states (based on the examples of Spain, Lithuania, and France) in ensuring citizens’ right to complete general secondary education. One of the European Union’s key priorities is the creation of a common educational space. EU countries have identified the provision of accessible and high-quality secondary education as a priority and have developed mechanisms to integrate this right into their legislative and administrative practices. These efforts involved a comprehensive approach that includes effective coordination between central and local authorities, investment in educational infrastructure, support for inclusion, and the implementation of innovative teaching methods. A distinctive feature of European education is the involvement of students and parents in the governance of educational institutions, which helps to create an educational environment that meets the needs of education service users. The study identified two approaches to the organisation of secondary education in the EU: linear and staged. It also highlighted differences in the operation of educational governance models that reflect each country’s unique historical, socio-economic, and political contexts. The article outlined the management features of decentralised education systems in Spain and Lithuania, where local self-government bodies also act as stakeholders in guaranteeing the right to complete general secondary education. In contrast, the French case illustrated a centralised system of educational governance, where the state regulates all aspects of educational activity – from determining curriculum content to setting overarching principles and standards for educational quality. Based on the analysis, the article formulated recommendations for optimising Ukraine’s domestic system for ensuring the right to complete general secondary education in line with the best management practices of Spain, Lithuania, and France 

Keywords

public administration; international experience; access to education; quality of education, educational governance

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Received 26.12.2024, Revised 25.03.2025, Accepted 28.05.2025

Retrieved from Volume 18, No. 1, 2025

Suggested citation

Ohar, N., & Petrovskyy, P. (2025). Administrative aspects of ensuring the right to full general secondary education: The experience of EU countries. Democratic Governance, 18(1), 48-63. https://doi.org/10.56318/dg/1.2025.48

https://doi.org/10.56318/dg/1.2025.48

Pages 48-63

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