Cambridge A-Level or IB
Today hundreds of
thousands of parents and guardians across the globe face a stark dilemma as to
what is the right Board of Education for
their children to comfortably get enrolled on a prestigious college
or a university and have access to the global market of the twenty-first
century. Choosing the best Board of
Education/Programme for further studies especially after the junior
school, Matriculation or Grade Ten is indeed a Herculean task for many students across all the continents.
The world is changing with the needs and the
demands of time. The markets and other organisations need the same kinds of human resource that does not become easily obsolete even after two to three decades of the
completion of higher studies or obtaining a university degree. In order for that
kind of education to be provided, today's youth and their parents or guardians
are even more anxious and stressed. The situation even worsens when they find a
number of choices but beyond the size of their pockets.
Here, I am trying to
list out some of the basic pros and cons of some major international and
national boards or programmes available in the region to enable the school
graduates and their parents to choose the best Board of Education that suits
their needs and situations.
As and A-level
It is a Secondary School Programme equivalent to Grades 11 and 12 for 16-19 year teenagers. Based in the UK, it is strictly monitored and supervised by Cambridge University’s
Cambridge Assessment International Examinations (CAIE) cell. It has more than
160 affiliates all over the world facilitated by either the British Council or
are directly linked to Cambridge University.
There is an increasing
attraction towards this programme for several factors.
Advantages
1) Carries
the ethos of Understanding, Knowledge, Skills and Application
2) Internationally
accredited to major universities across the world.
3) A
wide choice in six groups from 55 different subjects
4) More
advanced curriculum; reviewed every two years
5) No
fixed streamlined subjects like in other boards
6) You
can choose your own examination time; June
or November
7) Superfast
results processing time (2 months’ time)
8) Focus
on independent and creative learning
9) High-tech material delivery system
10) Collaborative, project, task, research-based learning
11) Opportunity for global competition and similar
recognition
12) Develops teenagers into global citizens
Disadvantages
1) Very expensive programme; not all parents and students
can afford
2) Dearth of materials and professionals to teaching and
learning
3) Available only in Metropolitan cities across the world
4) Meant for highly creative smart learners
5) Not a strictly time-bound programme
6) Lazy and average learners may not perform well (axiom)
7) Needs good command over English communication skills
8) The subject combination may not comfortably allow
students to sit for competitive examinations like Medical and Engineering: IOE,
IOM, AIT, USMLE, NIIT, IIT, IIM, IAS, etc. but it does not apply to the smart
learners in IGCSE, Cambridge A-levels
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Standard and Higher-levels (IB-DP)
It is
also like the A-level programme meant for 16-19 year teenagers. It has international accreditation to major universities in the world. Over 3,293
schools worldwide called IB World Schools are
currently offering the IB Diploma Programme in over 153 countries. There are
many benefits to choosing the Diploma Programme (DP). The sole goal of this
programme is to develop learners having an excellent spectrum of knowledge and
skills into physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically strong global
citizens to lead the world.
Alike
the Cambridge A-Level programme, the IB curriculum is made up of six subject
groups and the DP core(compulsory) comprises Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity,
Activity, Service (CAS) and the Extended Essay. Some of the
factors why the IB-DP programmes are becoming increasingly popular these days
are;
Advantages
1) A two year (Standard
and Higher Level) programme of
international recognition
2) More rigorous and academically challenging programme
3) Worth of two long years rigorous and dedicated
studies
4) Challenging learners to excel in their studies and
to constantly compete with oneself
5) Inclusion of Internal Assessment Credits
6) Enables learners to question and enquire assumption
(TOK)
7) A precise preparation for College/University
enrollment
8) A powerful bridge for college and university degrees
9) Creativity, Activity and Service incorporated into
the course as compulsory core aspects
10) An all-out support for your achievement from the programme provider(s)
11) No chance of getting into bad companies; no time at all for this or that
12) Develop International mindedness/understanding
13) Inclusion of compulsory cultural tasks
14) Available online to reach the global needs
15) Simple and easy grading system in both Standard
Level and Higher Level
16) Inclusion of streamlined electives subject with
compulsory core elements like-
a) Theory of Knowledge
b) The Extended Essay
c) CAS (Creativity, Activity and Service)
Disadvantages
1) Very heavy syllabus
2) Expensive: not all parents and students can afford to pay for
the fee and materials
3) Bulky everyday home assignments
4) Even loss of health and heavy exertion
5) Very little time for social life
6) No extensive subject electives like in A-levels
7) Strictly disciplined and hardworking learners who
are good time managers and organisers are likely to perform well
8) No guarantee that you get an IBDP at the end of the term, if you don’t perform well
9) Study and study like every day is your exam day
10) Dearth of materials and teachers at all parts
11) Need an internet with a good bandwidth connection
for online and material procurement
Having
listed some of the pros and cons of these two different programmes, it is
solely upon you how and why to make the best choice for your children depending upon their interest and industry together with their study acumen and skills.
Please do not ignore these attributes of your own (child) before you see the attributes and the prospects of the college programmes so that the combined attributes successfully enable you(r) (child) to
instil the values, knowledge and skills the 21st century
demands.
