Updated on: Thursday, February 09, 2012
The CBSE international programme (CBSE-i), adopted by about 26 schools abroad, will soon be available in 50 schools in the country, offering to students a global curriculum which is enquiry and skill based.
CBSE-i delivers education on the pattern of the Geneva-based International Baccalaureate (IB) which is increasingly becoming popular in the country. IB certificate is understood to help students get into top international universities faster.
"Some students want to go outside after class XII. They take IB course.... we should also provide some alternative for them. We are increasing choices of children and these are the choices with respect to those children who want to take up IB course," said HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, adding it will be available on a pilot basis.
Talking to reporters, he said Association of Indian Universities (AIU) has already given recognition to CBSE-i while CBSE chairman Vineet Joshi said the feedback from the existing schools which adopted the curriculum is encouraging.
CBSE-i, Sibal said, is "less expensive and quality oriented course and it an alternative to some of the international courses".
The programme is available through the net open to bothteachers and students. While the existing CBSE has three streams, Sibal said, CBSE-i has many other avenues for students such as performing arts, music, visual arts, drama, dance. Mathematics, for example, will be available in two levels Core and Elective.
There are also programmes on electives, life skills, research projects etc. Sibal hoped kendriya vidyalays and other schools would come forward to adopt the programme.
According to CBSE, the International curriculum of CBSE-i caters to individual learning styles in terms of pedagogy and assessment. It will address global needs as well as relate to local issues and local culture. It will carry forward the basic strength of the Indian system of education.
Besides, it aims at promoting critical and creative thinking skills, effective communication skills, interpersonal and collaborative skills and information and media skills.
Joshi said to make the programme more effective and to facilitate two-way communication between the students and parents, a new section has been added to the existing CBSE-i portal. This section is called the Parents and Students corner.
At present, about 26 schools in Middle East and some South East Asian countries have adopted CBSE-i.