ALL ABOUT IBDP IN SCHOOLS IN SINGAPORE

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For more than a decade, Singapore, along with South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Finland, has been at or near the top of international leagues tables that measure children’s ability in reading, Maths and Science. This has led to a considerable sense of achievement in Finland and East Asia and endless hand-wringing and head-scratching in the West.

HOW DO INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS IN SINGAPORE PERFORM SO WELL?

What then do Singaporean teachers do in classrooms that are so special, bearing in mind that there are substantial differences in classroom practices between – as well as within – the top-performing countries? What are the particular strengths of Singapore’s instructional regime in international IBDP schools that helps it perform so well? What are its limits and constraints?

IS THIS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM TRANSFERABLE TO OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD?

Singapore’s private school system is the product of a distinctive, even unique, set of historical, institutional and cultural influences. These factors go a long way to help explain why the educational system is especially effective in the current assessment environment, but it also limits how transferable it is to other countries.

Over time, a private school in Singapore has developed a powerful set of institutional arrangements that shape its instructional regime. Singapore has developed an education system that is centralised, integrated, coherent and well-funded. It is also relatively flexible and expert-led.

PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN SINGAPORE

There are several types of schools in Singapore. Government schools offer high-quality education with affordable fees. Government-aided schools follow the national syllabus and are mostly funded by the government. Independent schools have more flexibility in determining their fees and curriculum.

In addition, there are specialised independent schools that cater to students with skills in mathematics, science, arts and sports, among others. Lastly, there are specialised schools that offer an experiential and hands-on learning approach to learning.

Singapore’s education system has been consistently ranked as one of the highest in the world by the OECD. It is believed that this comes from the style of teaching that is implemented in Singapore. Teachers focus on making sure that each your most Their students thoroughly move through the syllabus before going to the next level.

By doing this, teachers in Singapore teach a much more narrow but deeper type of instruction. Singapore has the highest performance in international education and tops in global rankings. In January 2020, these students made up half of the perfect scorers in the International Baccalaureate (IB).

AN INTRODUCTION TO IBDP

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is a two-year educational programme primarily aimed at 16-to-19-year-olds in 140 countries around the world. The programme provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education and is recognized by many universities worldwide. It was developed in the early-to-mid-1960s in Geneva, Switzerland, by a group of international educators. After a six-year pilot programme that ended in 1975, a bilingual diploma was established.

  • Administered by the International Baccalaureate (IB), the IBDP is taught in schools in over 140 countries, in one of three languages: English, French, or Spanish.
  • In order to participate, students must attend an IB school. IBDP school students complete assessments in six subjects, one from each subject group, and three core requirements.
  • Students are evaluated using both internal and external assessments, and courses finish with an externally assessed series of examinations, usually consisting of two or three timed written tests.
  • Internal assessment varies by subject: there may be oral presentations, practical work, or written work. In most cases, these are initially graded by the classroom teacher, whose grades are then verified or modified, as necessary, by an appointed external moderator.

CORE REQUIREMENTS FOR IBDP

The Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum is made up of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising theory of knowledge (TOK), creativity, activity, service (CAS) and the extended essay.

In the international schools going through the Diploma Programme (DP) core, students reflect on the nature of knowledge, complete independent research and undertake a project that often involves community service. To be awarded an IB diploma, international students must fulfil three core requirements, in addition to passing their subject examinations:

  • Extended essay (EE): Candidates must write an independent research essay of up to 4,000 words in a subject from the list of approved EE subjects. The candidate may choose to investigate a topic within a subject they are currently studying, although this is not required. The EE may be written on an interdisciplinary topic.
  • Theory of knowledge (TOK): This course introduces students to theories about the nature and limitations of knowledge (basic epistemology) and provides practice in determining the meaning and validity of knowledge (critical thinking). It is claimed to be a “flagship element” of the Diploma Programme and is the one course that all diploma candidates are required to take.

TOK requires 100 hours of instruction, the completion of an externally assessed essay of 1600 words (from a choice of six titles prescribed by the IB worth 67%), and an internally assessed exhibition or presentation (worth 33%) on the candidate’s chosen topic.

  • Creativity, activity, service (CAS): CAS aims to provide students with opportunities for personal growth, self-reflection, intellectual, physical and creative challenges, and awareness of themselves as responsible members of their communities through participation in social or community work (service), athletics or other physical activities (activity), and creative activities (creativity).

The guideline for the minimum amount of CAS activity over the two-year programme is approximately 3–4 hours per week, though “hour counting” is not encouraged. Previously, there was a requirement that 150 CAS hours be completed, but this was abolished in 2010. However, some schools still require these hours. 

CONCLUDING WITH THE BENEFIT OF AN ACCOMPLISHED IBDP SCHOOL IN SINGAPORE

Becoming an accomplished IBDP School in Singapore means joining over 5,000 schools worldwide in delivering IB programmes, and becoming part of a community of educators that is growing and developing constantly. The IB’s unique implementation helps in integrating into a larger educational infrastructure and network through relationships with schools, governments and international organizations globally.