The Andhra Pradesh government has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Switzerland-based International Baccalaureate (IB) for introducing the IB curriculum in the State-run schools.
Principal Secretary (School Education) Praveen Prakash and Chief Education Officer (Director of Education Innovation) of IB Anton Beguin exchanged the MoU documents in the presence of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at his camp office at Tadepalli near Vijayawada on January 31 (Wednesday).
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said it is a great satisfying programme as it paves way for integrating the IB syllabus and practices with the syllabus of students of Classes I to XII. “In countries like India, quality education is necessary to make the students competitive at the global level. The MoU with the IB will ensure a good future of the students by helping them land high-paid jobs in the competitive job market,” said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Compared to the western countries, it is necessary to upgrade the educational system and syllabus in India to enhance the problem-solving abilities of students, the Chief Minister said, adding that the IB curricula integration with the school syllabus would help achieve this objective.
Training programme
As per the MoU, the IB experts will impart training to government school teachers and Education Department officials at the mandal and district levels, officers and staff of the SSC and Intermediate Boards and APSCERT in handling IB syllabus. This will make them a part of the IB global teaching network.
The IB syllabus will be first introduced for students of Class I from the 2025-26 academic year. As these students are promoted to upper classes, they would be learning the upgraded lessons, making the IB part of all classes in government schools by 2035 and IB syllabus would be taught to students of Class XII in 2037.
“A new journey has begun and it helps set new standards in the educational system,” said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
IB Director General Olli Pekka Heinonen, who participated in the programme virtually from Geneva, said that this was their biggest MoU of its kind and it would be an inspiration for other countries and regions. “The MoU will help improve my country’s relations with India in education sector. IB would first concentrate on Play Best Learning among students while helping them learn foreign languages besides other important subjects such as mathematics, science and arts,” he said.
Education Minister B. Satyanarayana, Chief Secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy, Principal Secretary (School Education) Praveen Prakash, School Education Commissioners S. Suresh Kumar and K. Bhaskar (Infrastructure), Intermediate Education Commissioner Sourav Gour, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan Project Director B. Srinivasa Rao, Midday Meals Director S.S. Shobhika, senior officials and representatives of IB were among those present.
