The conditions for recognition are the same for all secondary schools. One of these conditions is "to adopt the educational structure established by decree". In this sense, there are no unusual variations or alternative structures in the Flemish education system in secondary education in the public sector.

Curricula and corresponding objectives are partly common for certain programmes and partly different depending on their finality. The minimum education objectives and attainment targets are defined and determined by the government. Educational organisers/providers can add their own objectives. For pedagogical or educational reasons, a school board can apply for equivalence for self-developed educational goals, replacing the educational goals and attainment targets set by the government. The decision power regarding educational objectives of always lies with the Flemish Parliament. In other areas, the autonomy of school boards is more important; e.g. with regard to pupil guidance and pupil evaluation.

A very limited number of schools have a specific predicate, namely "top sports schools". It should be noted however that these are schools that have one or more top-level sports training courses within their education and training offer. The common educational goals also apply to top-level sports programmes, but the curricula within which these goals and their own goals are achieved have a greater flexibility in terms of educational organisation (for example, there are fewer contact hours and there is therefore a greater focus on self-study.