Education in Venezuela is administered and regulated by the Venezuelan Ministry of Education and is highly centralized. Education is compulsory for the first nine years (educación básica) and is taught in Spanish. After nine years of basic education, students are streamed into either the humanities or the sciences at the diversified secondary education level (educación media diversificada), which lasts two years and leads to the award of the bachiller. Alternatively, secondary students can follow a two- to three-year specialized curriculum (educación media profesional) leading to the award of a technical degree. Education is free to all and at all levels of the system; however, private schooling is popular, especially at the secondary level. Both public and private schools are subject to supervision by the ministry, and must meet the same standards.