The contemporary structure of the French school-system is the result of a long development in which efforts to improve the level of education have been constantly obvious. After 1975 significant changes were realized. In five parts of the article a brief analysis of the contemporary types of schools is carried out, universities and schools of university level not being included. Besides the pre-school education, which is realized in the Kindergartens, the main attention is paid to the educational tasks of the basic and secondary schools. The part devoted to secondary schools describes the teaching at colleges, lyceums and vocational lyceums. Also the types of certificates which are obtainable at those types of schools are described here, as well as possibilities of further studies. As an illustration a survey of obligatory and obligatorily optional school-subjects has been elaborated in the tabular form. Special educational activities aimed at children with long absences, backward and mentally or sensorily affected children are given an important place. The conclusion of the article is formed of statistical data concerning the number of learners, education institutions and their workers in the year 1981/82.