‘How to study over how to score’ — why more Indian parents are choosing foreign school boards
Data shows that more and more parents are sidestepping CBSE and admitting kids into IB and IGSCE schools with eye on college abroad. But critics are worried about ‘class system’.
Undeterred by the hefty fees, more and more parents in India are choosing schools that are affiliated to foreign boards with the hope that their children will not only get an “international standard” of education but also stand a better chance of getting admission to a university abroad.
Data shows that over the last few years, the Switzerland-headquartered International Baccalaureate (IB) and the UK’s Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) have witnessed a significant rise in popularity in India.
The CAIE, popularly known just as IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) after its programme for classes 9 and 10, also offers other qualifications like the A-levels for class 12.
Between 2018 and 2021, the number of students in IB schools increased by about 24 per cent.
In response to a query from ThePrint, the IB Board issued a statement, saying: “In India we have been delighted to witness a steady growth of schools delivering one or more IB programmes to students; we currently have 204 IB World Schools and 338 authorised programmes in India. Our flagship programme, the Diploma Programme (DP), is the programme offered by most schools, followed by our Primary Years Programme (PYP).”
Similarly, the number of Cambridge-affiliated schools in India have grown by over 15 per cent over the last four years. According to data shared by Cambridge International, schools affiliated with the board have increased to 578 so far this year from 496 in 2018.
“We are seeing that every year, on an average 40-50 new schools from across India partner with us,” said Cambridge International Regional Director Mahesh Srivastava in a statement to ThePrint. The curriculum, he added, helped meet the “demands and challenges” of high school and prepared students for undergraduate programmes.
The consensus among parents ThePrint spoke to is that IB- and Cambridge-affiliated schools impart better concept-based learning than the homegrown Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), and offer a competitive edge to students who want to study abroad.
This tends to come at a price. While fees charged by private CBSE schools can be vastly variable, ranging from a few hundreds to several thousands of rupees a month, it is tough to find anything at the low end for foreign board-affiliated schools.
Parents say quarterly fees are at least in the vicinity of Rs 50,000-60,000 for IB and Cambridge schools. But for many families, it’s worth it.
Content Courtesy:https://theprint.in/india/education/how-to-study-over-how-to-score-why-more-indian-parents-are-choosing-foreign-school-boards/1134768/
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