To create an ecosystem that will expose local students to international education system, the Andhra Pradesh Government has asked the International Baccalaureate (IB), a non-profit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, to establish an IB University in the State.
The proposal has been made to the IB representatives by the State officials at the Asia level and the government is awaiting a response from their side. “The Government has offered its full support to the IB team to set up its project here,” said Principal Secretary, School Education, Praveen Prakash.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Praveen Prakash said such a project would foster serious academic research, teacher trainings and other aligned activities.
The IB has centres across the world where it develops effective approaches to teaching and learning, works with global contexts and helps students understand different languages and cultures. The organisation also explores content, developing disciplinary and inter-disciplinary understanding that meets rigorous international standards. “If the proposal of an IB University in Andhra Pradesh fructifies, the organisation can connect its centres to the university here,” said Mr. Praveen Prakash.
A delegation of IB is visiting the State on October 19 to take forward the proposal of joint certification to students of Classes 10 and 12.
First batch
The State plan is to implement IB syllabus for the first batch of Class-I in the academic year 2024-25. “These students will appear for their Class 10 Board examinations in 2034-35 and will be the first batch to receive joint certification issued by the State and the IB,” the Principal Secretary explained.
The partnership between A.P. and IB aims at improving the learning outcomes. The School Education Department recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the IB as part of implementing transformative reforms aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, designed to open enhanced educational avenues for young learners.
This is the first time that IB has entered into a collaboration in this mode with a State government.
The school education department officials see the MoU as a means to transform students and schools as they learn, through dynamic cycles of inquiry, action and reflection.
Lack of trained teachers, resources shortage and parental concerns among other factors are seen as challenges but the government is confident of overcoming these obstacles since the process would be implemented in a phased manner.
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