Review of International Baccalaureate Programme and Its Extension to More Mainstream Schools

31 Mr Darryl David asked the Minister for Education (a) when the last review of the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme in mainstream schools has been conducted; (b) what have been the findings of this review; and (c) whether there are plans to extend the IB programme to more mainstream schools in the future.

Mr Desmond Lee: The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) was introduced to our mainstream schools as part of the Ministry of Education's (MOE's) effort to provide diversity in the education landscape. Unlike the GCE A-Level programme, the IBDP is not part of our national curricula. The MOE therefore does not review the IBDP curriculum. Nonetheless, we monitor developments in the IBDP and the outcomes of students taking the IBDP to ensure it remains relevant to our students.

Students in our mainstream schools offering the IBDP consistently performed better than the global candidature. Almost all were awarded the IB Diploma. Beyond academics, IBDP students also reported positive perceptions of their schools' efforts to develop their 21st century competencies.

There are currently no plans to extend the IBDP to more schools, as the GCE A-Level programme remains relevant as our national curriculum.