The students enrolled in the state-run schools in Andhra Pradesh will soon get an opportunity to study in the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum which is now available only in elite and international schools in the private sector.
The IB curriculum will be available from the academic year 2025-26, according to an agreement signed between the state education department officials and the representatives of the International Baccalaureate (IB) organisation.
After giving a facelift to thousands of schools across the state under its “Naadu-Nedu” (Then and Now) scheme, the Andhra Pradesh government has now partnered with the IB organisation which is set to become a part of the State Council of Educational Research & Training (SCERT) to design the new curriculum.
The collaboration will be rolled out in stages, beginning with capacity building and training for teachers in 2024-25. Starting from the 2025-26 academic year, IB will be incorporated for Grade 1, with subsequent grades adopting the curriculum progressively.
By 2034-35, the Andhra Pradesh government hopes that all students up to Grade 10 will benefit from the IB approach, culminating in joint IB and state board certifications in April 2035. In 2036-37, IB will be extended to Grade 12, with dual certification in April 2035. In 2036-37, IB will be extended to Grade 12, with dual certifications awarded in April 2037, ensuring a seamless transition.
The IB curriculum goes beyond traditional textbook learning, emphasizing holistic development with a focus on both theoretical knowledge and practical applications, equipping students with real-world problem-solving skills,” said an official of the education department.
As part of the agreement, an IB global teacher network with empowered educators will be established in Andhra Pradesh. This initiative includes extensive training and awareness programs for teaching staff, school heads, DEOs and District Institute of Educational Training (DIET), staff of SSC and intermediate boards. By earning IB certifications, government teachers will become part of the prestigious IB global teacher network, further strengthening the state's educational system.
“By integrating IB into the SCERT board, the government aims to instigate a progressive transformation in curriculum, educational modules, and the establishment of new benchmarks. The most important thing is the partnership, ensuring quality education which is going to be the most critical factor for the upcoming generation,” the chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said.
IB Director General, Olli-Pekka Heinonen, thanked Jagan for the collaboration. “I would like to underline that we are seriously committed to this work that we are now starting together. For a non-profit educational organization with a purpose statement of creating a better world through education, I cannot imagine a better collaboration than this”, he said while participating in the agreement signing on virtual mode from Geneva.
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