The IB programme is extremely popular in Singapore. The word “IB” is sprinkled into conversations at birthday parties, coffee mornings and anywhere parents of kids in international schools in Singapore socialise.
But if you’re a little hazy on the topic, no worries! Here’s a primer to get you going.
#1 The IB Programme has an inquiry-based curriculum
What exactly does that mean? While other curriculums focus on memorising facts and evaluating data, the IB Primary Years Programme (the curriculum for the young kids) sets out to foster curiosity in children with the goal of creating lifelong learners.
This means learning isn’t always a one-way street. An inquiry-based curriculum allows children to use their own reasoning and analytical skills to come to conclusions and test their theories for results. Open-concept classrooms invite discussion between students and the instructor and allow students to take accountability for their own success. With so many hands-on activities, kids learn by doing, rather than by being shown or told. This style of teaching makes a big difference in how children learn to process the world around them.
#2 It offers consistency for expat families
One of the greatest advantages of the IB Programme is that it offers a consistent curriculum from one country to another. The schools follow the same framework, which means that students who move from an IB school in Europe to an IB school in Singapore will easily adapt to their new academic surroundings and pick up where they left off back home. This continuity is especially attractive for parents with short-term stays in Singapore. This includes those on short-term contracts who won’t stay long, as well as those who continually move from one country to the next.
#3 The IB programme isn’t just about academics
The IB curriculum stresses the importance of personal growth, fine arts and sports. The structure aims to create a well-rounded person. Students are to be knowledgeable about academics, but also skilled with the traits necessary to succeed in the work force and world at large when they reach adulthood.
Fast facts about the IB:
- The IB started in 1968.
- Teachers created the programme at the International School of Geneva, with assistance from several other international schools.
- As of November 2018, 3,293 schools offer the IB’s Diploma Programme in 153 different countries worldwide.
One World International School offers the IB Primary Years Programme in Singapore. For more information about the school, which is known for its moderate fee, click here.
Article written in collaboration with:
One World International School
21 Jurong West
6914 6700 | www.owis.org
Read more in our Schools section:
FAQ’s about Singapore’s new school
Top international schools in Singapore
