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International Baccalaureate: the added element at many schools in Australia

  • Writer: Oliver Lui
    Oliver Lui
  • Nov 21, 2016
  • 1 min read

Parents in Hong Kong face a perplexing dilemma when choosing a new school. They have to decide whether they want their child to study under the matriculation programme or the IB. They are attracted by IB’s emphasis on holistic education and independent thinking, but they also want to play safe with the traditional academic pathway. Parents in Australia are relieved from having to choose one or the other as schools are able to offer the IB in conjunction with the state exams.


Over 140 schools in Australia provide one of the three IB programs: the Primary Years Program (PYP) for students aged between 3 and 12 years old, the Middle Years Program (MYP) for students aged from 11 to 16 years old, and the Diploma Program (DP) for senior secondary students aged from 16 to 19 years old.


IB Diploma students have to do six subjects from these groups: Literature and Language (English); Language (French, German, Japanese, Spanish); Business and Management, History and Psychology; Biology, Chemistry, Design Technology and Physics; Maths; and the Arts (Music, Theatre, Visual Arts). They also need to do an extended essay, study theory of knowledge and creativity, and take part in various service programmes and activities.


The IB program’s appeal is that it gives students a well-rounded education. But unlike schools in Asia which focus on academic achievements only, Australian schools can have the IB and the state exam program co-existing alongside each other as the schools already have a holistic model into which the IB fits well.

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