Students in public schools across Bahrain could soon have another option to suit their educational needs, with the world-renowned International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma programme potentially on the cards.
Education Minister and Bahrain University board of trustees chairman Dr Mohammed Mubarak Juma stated that studies were underway to integrate the programme into the country’s public school system.
It will be mostly tailored towards students with a strong grasp of the English language and who will be looking to go for higher education abroad.
The programme comes as part of the ministry’s efforts to enhance educational services in the country and increase competitiveness among students.
“There is a great demand for educational services in Bahrain, and the ministry is always striving to give the people, especially students, the best possible options,” said Dr Juma in an interview to Bahrain TV.
“In preparation for the potential integration of IB, the ministry has worked tirelessly in developing English programmes for students, starting from primary school.
“This new programme will help students gain the necessary skills for their higher education studies, whether it be in Bahrain or abroad.”
IB is a two-year educational programme primarily aimed at 16 to 19-year-olds in 140 countries around the world.
Developed in the early-to-mid 1960s in Geneva and Switzerland, by a group of international educators, it now provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education and is recognised by many universities worldwide.
Students must complete assessments in six subjects, with the curriculum including studies in literature, language, science, maths, arts, and more.
It is primarily offered in English, but other countries have also offered the curriculum in Chinese, French, German and Spanish.
Dr Juma stated that if approved, students in the future will be given the option of choosing IB or sticking to the tried and tested national curriculum.
“The local syllabus will continue to be offered normally, especially for students who would rather do their higher education in Bahrain,” he said. “Those who want to study abroad and apply for overseas scholarships will be encouraged to take the IB track, provided that they meet the requirements, which includes a certain level of fluency of English.”
While no exact timeline has been given, Dr Juma stated that schools in Bahrain could start offering the programme as soon as next year.
He also stated that if approved, students will be prepared and trained for the programme as early as primary schools.
“The best thing to do is to prepare them early,” he said.
“Students in primary school will start learning subjects relating to IB, especially English, Maths and Science-related subjects, in order to slowly prepare them, just in case they want to use the IB track.
“Additionally, teachers in Bahrain University could be trained to provide educational services in IB subjects as soon as they enter the Bahrain Teachers College.”
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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