The International Baccalaureate (IB) is an international educational foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the IB Diploma Programme and the IB Career-related Programme for students aged 15 to 19, the IB Middle Years Programme for students aged 11 to 16, and the IB Primary Years Programme for children aged 3 to 12. “IB” may now refer to the organisation itself, any of the four programmes, or the diploma or certificates awarded at the end of a programme.
WHAT IS IT EXACTLY?
The IB programme in Singapore is known for helping its students think independently and drive their own learning. They are given the opportunities to take part in programmes that can lead to some of the highest-ranking universities in the world. Moreover, due to many of the schools being multicultural and multilingual, students are deemed to be more culturally aware. The IB programme is one of the top programmes in terms of international aspect. It is recognized by all leading universities.
WHAT IT ENTAILS…
This amount of global reach is rare for other programmes. The IB programme is also effectively a university preparation programme by helping students learn skills that are applicable for tertiary education. This includes report and essay writing skills, source citing and conducting independent research on topics (due to the Extended Essay component in the IB programme).
However, students who are looking to enrol in the IB programme should be aware that the education system is quite taxing. The heavy workload and time required to study to get good grades is generally much higher than other mainstream schools. However, if the students are confident in their abilities, this should not pose a major problem.
SCHOOLS THAT OFFER IB
There are 17 schools in Singapore that offer the IB programme. The schools are:
1) Anglo-Chinese School (International) Singapore
2) Australian International School Singapore
3) Canadian International School (Singapore)
4) Chatsworth International School
5) GEMS World Academy
6) German European School Singapore
7) Global Indian International School Singapore
8) Hillside World Academy
9) Hwa Chong International School
10) ISS International School
11) Nexus International School Singapore
12) NPS International
13) Overseas Family School
14) SJI International School
15) Stamford American International School
16) Tanglin Trust School
17) United World College of South East Asia
Before researching what school could possibly be the best, students should determine what properties their ideal school they want to study in. They need to research about different school cultures, different education systems, the languages offered, the previous reputation of the schools and location of the schools. Among the IB schools listed above, some schools are catered to Foreigners living in Singapore, such as Overseas Family School and Australian International School. They may not accept as many Singaporeans while other schools may accept students of any nationality. All of these factors will play a big part in determining the ideal IB school for the student.
BOTTOM LINE
Parents are always concerned about their children and want the best for them in all ways possible. Academics is the foundation and they key to a stable and happy life. Hence, parents give special priority to getting their children into the best school possible. If you are well-informed, you will be able to make the right choices!