The education system in India
India offers a growing range of schooling opportunities for globally mobile families. The rapid expansion of its international-school sector, however, brings with it some potential drawbacks, which parents should be aware of.
Extending the options
The global expansion of international school groups has meant that India now has more than 525 English-medium international schools in India, 30 per cent of them situated in Mumbai and BangaloreLike many international schools in India, Pathways World School, a group of three schools located in Gurgaon and Noida, in the Delhi National Capital Region, teaches the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme. The IB has proved itself to be the big success story in secondary education over the past 30 years and is now taught in over 150 countries worldwide.The fact that the IB is accessible to students from any country, and from different educational backgrounds, makes it a popular choice for families relocating to India and concerned about the transferability of their children’s education.“While the national curricula remain the root of all countries globally,” says Dr Sarvesh Naidu, executive director of Pathways Schools, “schools are now preparing to offer a more diverse and flexible range of education that matches the aspirations of students and shapes them to face the evolving global environment and remain connected with technology advancement, frequent mobility, and varied cultural and social norms.”Alongside the IB, many international schools in India offer learning systems from the English National Curriculum to the American programme.However, there has been concern among established international schools that some providers are taking advantage of the boom by setting up institutions using the international label when, in fact, they are not following an accredited curriculum.The importance of accreditation
The popularity of private schools with aspirational local families is fuelling the trend and, according to research commissioned by the Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), in recent years there has been a rapid migration of students out of the state sector with 30 per cent of Indian students now attending some form of ‘private’ school.In 2009, the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) survey – which tests the skills and knowledge of 15-year-olds with the aim of evaluating education systems – ranked India near the bottom of the 74 participating countries and India has since boycotted the three-yearly survey.This is set to change, however as the Indian government has announced plans to participate in the 2021 test. Relocating families should therefore be aware that not all private schools are created equal. Families should always look for a recognised school accreditation, such as the Council of International Schools (CIS), The International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) and the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) if they are to ensure that their children receive the best quality education whilst living in India.This article is from Relocate Global's Guide to International Education & Schools 2019/20 which is packed with expert tips and information for those relocating and the professionals supporting them. For volume options, co-branded editions, digital or online licence agreements and advertising opportunities, contact Fiona Murchie at +44 (0)1892 891334 or email fiona@relocatemagazine.comNow available as an ebook on Amazon! Simply download from Amazon onto your Kindle, mobile phone or tablet to read wherever you are!
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