Throughout the world, secondary school graduations mark not only a large accomplishment in the lives of the students but a large-scale development and effort by the state in which they are. For a student to go through a primary and secondary school education students require many different curriculums, teachers, and even schools to meet the requirements to graduate, all being reflections of the country and environment they live in. For students to spend a large amount of time, money, and work that school requires, they must live in a stable area where economics, politics, and other social pressures do not impede their ability to learn. Graduations can also show gender and racial equity in an area by demonstrating the ability of these groups to make their way through secondary school.
While many countries have different reasons for educating their students, an equal opinion is shared throughout the world: it is a moment to celebrate. Many people in the United States are familiar with US graduation traditions, but many other countries have different graduation traditions. For example, graduates in Japan perform choreographed dances and parades to celebrate. In the Philippines, graduates receive a wreath with their diploma to symbolize the country’s tropical climate and culture. In Scandinavian countries, graduates wear sailor hats and participate in city-wide parades. Despite these very eccentric and exciting traditions, some countries have more odd traditions. In Argentina, parents throw food and condiments on the graduates to symbolize their coming of age and in China instead of spending time with families and relatives, graduates spend their last moments with friends, often not allowing parents to attend the graduation ceremony at all.
A secondary school diploma symbolizes all of the student’s work through many years of schooling and often provides a gateway into higher education. A student’s diploma often also symbolizes maturity and independence, as most students will be adults that are on their own after receiving it. While every country and student may celebrate their graduations differently, one thing is for sure: graduation is a student’s gateway to the future.