The education of IGCSE schools in Mumbai

The IGCSE board in the recent years has gained popularity all over India. Many parents are inclined to have their kids gain the knowledge and training that is provided in an IGCSE board. The IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) is an English language curriculum. It is meant for students who want to prepare for the IB (International Baccalaureate), A Level and BTEC Level 3.

A University of Cambridge International Examinations developed the curriculum which is predominantly exam based. There are several IGCSE schools in Mumbai that has seen a rise in admissions as well in the recently. The appealing factor of monitoring the progress of the learner and the assessments help the child’s knowledge-based growth. IGCSE is at higher level curriculum compared to the other board like ICSSE, CBSE or GCSE as it is designed for a multilingual and multi-cultural audience. This enables the child to acquire knowledge well on various subjects academically.

IB (International Baccalaureate) School Curriculum

A global program adopted by many schools that concentrate on the various development and growth of the child. The curriculum focuses on improving the child’s ability to understand intercultural aspects in the world. There are four programs that are offered in an IB school. They range from the young age of 3 years to 12 years with their PYP (Primary Years Program) to the MYP (Middle Years Program) which is meant for the age group of 11 years to 16 years. The growth of the student right from a tender age under a curriculum which focuses on developing his/her interpersonal and intercultural skills is tremendous. A program like this develops and teaches the child to challenge their own limit. IB also has Diploma Program and Career- Related Program which is mainly for the age group 16 years to 19 years. They have various programs including IB film courses. These programs let the child explore and develop their creative side.

What benefits international schools in Mumbai offer

It is very important to find the right school so that your child can get quality education. There are many parents now choosing an international school for their child. If you are also one of those parents who wish to get their child enrolled in an international school, then here are a few benefits that you can expect:

• Most international schools in Mumbai follow international curriculum that can shape your child’s future. For instance, the IB (International Baccalaureate) programme offered by most international schools is one of the most effective education models that is accepted by most colleges and universities across the globe.

• Your child will get exposed to the global culture because international schools mostly have students from all over the country. This gives each student a chance to understand new cultures and lifestyles, making them more accommodative towards upcoming challenges and opportunities.

• Another advantage of international school admission is that it places emphasis on extra-curricular activities, allowing the overall development of students. They offer activities that play a vital role in enhancing the confidence level of students, making them competent.

• You can ensure a bright start to your child’s career if you choose to enroll him/her in an international school. This is because the exposure and curriculum in such schools prepare them for careers and studies in foreign countries.

How to choose the right international school for your child?

There are several international schools in Mumbai so you need to do some homework in order to choose the right one. For instance, you need to visit the shortlisted schools in order to study the environment, to see if the students look happy, if the teachers look friendly and so on. You need to read reviews on the internet to know if parents have been satisfied with the school or not.

What is the IB International Baccalaureate Program

Today, parents have several educational boards to choose for their children. Besides the ICSE and SSC Boards, the International Baccalaureate (IB) board is also becoming popular. International Baccalaureate is an internationally-recognized school system that consists of three educational programs:

Three IB Programs:

• PYP (Primary Years Programme)

• MYP (Middle Years Programme)

• DP (Diploma Programme)

Founded in 1968 by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), the IB program is application-based and practical. IBO is basically a non-profit educational organization that is based in Geneva, Switzerland. This international organization is not associated with any particular country. It is free from the national political educational agendas.

IB programme has a broader spectrum of subjects that lead to the overall development of students. The examinations held under this program are meant for testing the knowledge of students and not their speed and memory. Till the Middle Years Programme, there are no examinations. The main focus is on ‘how to learn’ instead of ‘what to learn’.

Students are given the opportunity to choose their own books because there are no prescribed textbooks under these educational programs. The main idea of these programmes is to produce global citizens. At times, the programme does use the local curriculum as a base. For instance, in the DP (Diploma Programme), Hindi can be offered as a second language.

As compared to ICSE and CBSE, IB curriculum is more challenging as far as quality of assignments is concerned. The challenge is not in the amount of work that is assigned to the students. Schools that are recognized by the International Baccalaureate Organization are IB World Schools. Such India international schools offer IB curriculum. Currently, there are approximately 18 IB World Schools in India, scattered over 11 cities. Number of such schools is growing across the globe.