Public schools in Mumbai to offer IB and IGCSE education for free

Children in Mumbai will soon be able to study in public schools affiliated to the International Baccalaureate (IB) and the Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) for free.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is looking to affiliate Mumbai Public School with the two international boards.

The BMC plans to have one school per ward, from nursery to Class X, according to reports.

Cabinet minister and Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray and BMC officials are already in discussions with the boards, the reports said.

In mid-November Thackeray met Annie Michailidou, head of global engagement, Cambridge Partnership for Education. Educator Francis Joseph played a key part in linking Cambridge to BMC, the minister said in a tweet.

Taking forward the agenda of having the @CambridgePfE Board in @mybmc schools, we met with Annie Michailidou to create a working group for education reforms at various levels in Maharashtra. Thankful to @Francis_Joseph for his support on linking Cambridge to @mybmc pic.twitter.com/jrUd6G28Qm

— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) November 16, 2021

The BMC has now put the proposal for administrative sanction, which once received will be placed before the education committee of the house.

Talks are also on with the IB board –  although they are currently at a preliminary level, the reports said.

This morning, we had an interaction with the IB Board @iborganization for its PYP, MYP, DP programs in @mybmc schools.

We want our students to have the options of SSC, CBSE, ICSE, Cambridge and IB, to ensure quality and equality in education.
(1/n)

— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) December 17, 2021

The IB is a not-for-profit foundation, founded in 1968 and headquartered in Geneva. It offers four educational programmes: the IB Diploma Programme and the IB Career-related Programme for students aged 15 to 19; the IB Middle Years Programme for students aged 11 to 16; and the IB Primary Years Programme for children aged three to 12.^[3] To teach these programmes, schools must be authorised by the IB.

The IGCSE is an English language-based examination and is recognised in the United Kingdom as being equivalent to the GCSE for the purposes of recognising prior attainment. It was developed by University of Cambridge International Examinations.

The BMC has already started 11 Central Board of Secondary Education-affiliated schools and one Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations school, which is yet to be affiliated.

In February 2020, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray along with son Aaditya revealed the new identity of BMC schools — Mumbai Public School.

In the same year, the BMC sought affiliation from CBSE and ICSE board in Mumbai for a dozen schools.