BANGALORE: This year, students studying in Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools aspiring to go abroad after schooling can be rest assured about their international exposure. Thanks to the new CBSE-i, an international curriculum that is designed to help students with admissions in foreign education institutions after Class 12.
As part of a pilot project, this year by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), the international course has been introduced in 50 Kendriya Vidyalayas and public schools affiliated to CBSE in India.
Schools affiliated to the CBSE here have welcomed the move, with many planning to subscribe to the CBSE-i.
“It is a fact that children are going abroad after schooling. The CBSE-i will definitely help them move out and adapt to the foreign curriculums,” said M Srinivasan, Principal, Gear Innovative School.
The international curriculum was launched in 2010 across 26 schools in classes 1 and 9 in the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia and other Gulf countries to provide a less expensive and quality-oriented alternative to foreign boards like International Baccalaureate (IB) and International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE).
In 2011, the curriculum was extended to Classes 2, 6 and 10. This year, it will be extended to Classes 2, 7 and 11.
Usha Mohan, principal, India International School, which is planning to introduce the Inter Baccalaureate, said that the CBSE-i would expose students to global standards. “The CBSE has undergone several changes over the years. In my opinion, the CBSE-i will be instrumental in making students employable abroad. Also, its certification is valid in foreign countries,” she said.
“The course will be based on Geneva’s International Baccalaureate (IB). I am not sure how the IB will gear up to India minds. But the CBSE-i also takes into consideration the Indian minds. The base is still the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and it will be easier for students to migrate,” said Shanthi Menon, principal, The Deens Academy.
While the CBSE-i is certain to help students experience a smooth shift from an Indian schooling framework to pursue higher education abroad, questions of bias towards the elite students have been raised.
“Foreign education is not the prerogative of the elite class alone. Even students from the middle class are studying abroad. The CBSE-i would help integrate the existing CBSE with international education,” added Menon.