Andhra to roll out IB curriculum in Govt schools

Hyderabad: Come academic year 2025-26 onwards children going to government run schools in Andhra Pradesh will get an opportunity to study in International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum which is only available in elite and international schools in the private sector.

After giving facelift to thousands of schools across the state under its Nadu-Nedu scheme, Andhra Pradesh government has now partnered with the International Baccalaureate (IB) organisation, which is set to become a part of State Council of Educational Research & Training (SCERT) to design the new curriculum.

On Wednesday representatives of IB organisation and state education department officials signed an agreement.

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, 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 certifications awarded in April 2037, ensuring a seamless transition.

“The IB curriculum goes beyond traditional textbook learning, emphasizing holistic development with focus on both theoretical knowledge and practical applications, equipping students with real-world problem-solving skills,” said a senior official of the state 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, MEOs, DEOs SCERT & 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, to be put up for a test, i.e., be it in employment opportunities, molding them to become the future leaders,” said Jagan Mohan Reddy.

IB director general, Olli-Pekka Heinonen, thanked Jagan for the collaboration.

“I’m especially thankful to the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for supporting this partnership to fruition. 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 better MOPs for the world through education. I cannot imagine a better collaboration than what we are starting today”, he said while participating in the agreement signing on virtual mode from Geneva.