BANGALORE: A trip down Varthur
Road, the eastern periphery of Bangalore, will amaze by the sheer number of international schools ranged in a row. The city's outskirts, with the luxury of space and greenery, are a haven for international schools. There's a decided preference: schools offering IGCSE syllabus have shot up almost five times in five years in the state, which is home to the second largest number in the country.
Statistics provided by IGCSE, Karnataka, show that nine schools taught Cambridge IGCSE in 2008. Five years down the line, in 2013, the figure stands at 41. This year, schools in Karnataka made over 4,200 exam entries for Cambridge IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education).
It was in 1898 that the Hebron School in Ooty started offering Cambridge qualification in India. Cambridge IGCSE was introduced to India in the late 1980s and since then, has grown in popularity with schools in India and around the world. The number of schools grew almost three-fold, from 74 five years ago to 310 now. Maharashtra has the highest number of IGCSE schools, with Mumbai and Pune being the core centres, and followed by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.
Schools in India made over 44,000 exam entries for Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge International AS and A Level, a rise of 15% since 2012. The core subjects most popular among learners in India at Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge International AS and A Level are physics, maths and chemistry, the Board observes. The growth in India is similar to that in countries like the UK, US and China. IGCSE is now taught in over 3,900 schools worldwide.
"This is a phenomenon seen in only IT cities like Bangalore and Pune. The IT crowd and people who would've gone abroad in the 1990s and returned now are the major takers for this curriculum, as they feel it's better than the Indian ones. The rich educated class, which wants their children to pursue
higher education abroad, also prefers to send their children to IGCSE schools. The political scenario is also in favour of the managements. There is less political interference and corruption, making it viable," said K P Gopalkrishna, chairman, The International School Bangalore (TISB).
Aloysius D'Mello, principal, Greenwood International School, adds: "The curriculum offers a lot of flexibility in terms of subjects that Indian boards don't have. Parents prefer it as it's based on practical lessons with less emphasis on theory."
What is IGCSE? Cambridge IGCSE is one of the world's most popular international qualifications for 14-to-16 year olds. It's taught in over 3,900 schools in 140 countries worldwide. Cambridge International AS and A Level is typically for learners aged 16-19 years, and is taken by over 1,600 schools in over 125 countries.
Quote Flexible curriculum
Schools tell us they like the flexibility of our qualifications. Cambridge IGCSE has a choice of over 70 subjects that can be taken in any combination, making the qualification easy to integrate with other national curricula and systems. Schools also like the support we provide their teachers. In 2013, we held over 50 face-to-face teacher training classes in cities across India, including Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad. Most importantly, schools find our qualifications prepare their students well for the next stage of education - be it national exams, other international education programmes or universities in India or overseas.
William Bickerdike | regional manager, south asia, cambridge international examinations
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