By Rajiv Bansal
A country’s education system serves as the cornerstone for its future. A holistic education that includes exposure to both academic and extracurricular activities can create leaders across numerous sectors such as science, commerce, and the arts. The global education system has evolved over time and is now more diversified, adaptable, and inclusive in nature. In recent times, students and parents are increasingly favouring international curriculum as it prepares them for global opportunities. Apart from global exposure, the option to choose from a wide range of subjects, including arts, sports, music, and theatre, is one of the primary reasons why parents are inclined toward an international curriculum. The international curriculum equips a student with skills, values, and knowledge to succeed in a globalised world. Hence, as a part of their effort to prepare students to be global citizens, more schools are introducing international curricula in India.
Why choose International Curriculum?
An international curriculum equips students with not just a thorough knowledge, but also an in-depth understanding of a variety of subjects. Such a curriculum brings forth a wide range of academic opportunities along with highly competitive abilities, which enable students to manage the demands of 21st-century learning during higher education and beyond.
International curriculum exposes students to diverse cultures and provides them with broader exposure
Compared to the national curriculum, an international curriculum incorporates cultures and norms from different countries, to allow students to have a deeper knowledge of people from diverse backgrounds, which eventually aids in their growth as accepting and understanding individuals. They naturally become adaptive, which allows them to feel comfortable in international settings. A lot of students prefer to complete their higher education abroad or seek out careers that allow them to work in international relations, and an international pedagogical approach aids students to become independent.
While traditional courses certainly provide students with a foundation from which they can build, they focus only on the fundamental disciplines and subjects such as English, Math and Science. Understandably offering students a limited scope. However, students who are enrolled in international curricula benefit from having a wider range of experiences. There are numerous options for subjects. For instance, a lower secondary course in Cambridge called Global Viewpoint introduces students to the idea of critically analysing all subjects while keeping a global perspective in mind.
International curriculum offers small class sizes, a personalised approach, and adheres to international standards
Programmes offered in an international curriculum adhere to a set of worldwide standards. With minimal or no disruption, students can transfer between international schools, enabling them to succeed in their studies no matter where they currently reside. Because of this consistency, parents feel confident in the fact that their children are receiving a well-rounded education that has been proven to be successful.
An additional advantage of some international curriculum programmes is their small class sizes. This is especially advantageous during the primary school years when students need more individual attention for academic growth. These programmes can be altered to meet the specific needs of the individual student. For instance, depending on the student’s strengths, the pace of the international curriculum programme may vary.
International curriculum provides pupils with possibilities for experiential learning and shapes them into global citizens
In almost all aspects of an international curriculum, students experience international exposure. Students learn to respect and appreciate people from all walks of life, through celebrations of other cultures as well as from hands-on learning and practical opportunities that take them into the community and introduce them to people of all backgrounds. By the time they complete higher education, they have a better understanding of the world around them and are at ease and feel competent working in international settings.
The majority of international curriculum places a strong focus on the value of experiential learning. International curricula developers contend that experiential hands-on learning is superior to lecture-based instruction for students of all ages. This inquiry-driven method of teaching differs significantly from other, more traditional programmes. In the end, an international curriculum assists students in acquiring the strategic abilities necessary to thrive in a globalised, competitive environment.
As a part of the international curriculum, students receive a broad, in-depth understanding of various subjects along with highly competitive skills needed for the 21st-century world. As the curricula offer a global perspective and better prepare students for a global economy, it is increasingly becoming popular among schools. Students who have participated in international curriculum frequently end up becoming global leaders because of the focus placed on abilities like teamwork, creativity, communication, and critical thinking.
The author is director-operations at Global Indian International School (GIIS), India. Views are personal.
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