Secondary schools are usually combined, containing both middle and high schools. Children of rich and well-known families are often given easier access to the more prestigious secondary schools. There is much corruption in educational equality. But in both primary and secondary schools, the system is "no-failure education system". Only at the end of the high schools or at the entrance of the college/university, the system is changed.
High schools students choose one of 2 tracks upon entering high school: science or arts. All high school students take Myanmar, English, and mathematics. However, Science-specialised students also take 3 additional subjects: chemistry, physics and biology as part of their coursework, while arts-specialised students take geography, history and economics. These routes also determine what matriculation subject exams they are administered and what tertiary schools they can apply to.
At the end of Standard 10, students take the University Entrance Examination, commonly referred to as the matriculation exam in English, administered by the Board of Examinations annually in mid-March.[6] High marks in a subject garner a distinction known as gondu(ဂုဏ်ထူး). Students who achieve distinctions in five or more subjects (or a combined total of approximately 500/600) are generally guaranteed placement in one of Myanmar's medical universities, the most selective of universities. Test score results are released at testing sites throughout the country in June.[7] Since 2007, Mon State has had the highest matriculation pass rates in the country.[8]
Students who attend international English-language schools or other private schools are not eligible to sit for the matriculation exam, nor are they allowed to enroll in Burmese universities.[9] Instead, they typically study overseas, at destinations such as Singapore, Malaysia,Australia, United Kingdom and the United States. In 2010, 695 Burmese international students studied in the United States, particularly in private liberal arts colleges.[10]
Myanmar secondary education has numerous problems.It completely emphasizes upon rote learning and memorization and regurgitation inhibiting students' creative thinking and critical thinking skills.Teachers themselves learn under the authoritative systems so they are usually resistive to current changes in teaching methods.[11]