Lower secondary education lasts three years and is also part of the compulsory nine-year basic education program. Upon completing lower secondary education after Grade 9, students complete the national examination and, if successful, are awarded the lower secondary school certificate. Depending on the results of academic and psychological tests, students who have completed basic education can enter senior general secondary or senior technical and vocational secondary schools. Both of these options offer a three year program. At the senior general secondary level, students share a common curriculum for the first year followed by a second year during which they specialize in natural sciences (IPA), social sciences (IPS), languages or religious studies. Technical and vocational secondary schools consists of about 40 programs in numerous fields such as technology and engineering, health, arts, tourism, information and communication technologies, and others. Upon completion of either a senior general secondary program or a technical and vocational training program, students complete a national examination and, if successful, are awarded a national certificate which grants them access to