BMC set to introduce international curriculum in 25 schools

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to introduce international curriculum in the existing syllabus of 25 of its schools in order to upgrade the quality of education imparted by it. The syllabus of Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) will be added to the Maharashtra Board syllabus of the civic schools. Sources said that they are likely to be introduced in the 25 schools in the next academic year 2017-18.

The decision will be applicable under the ‘no fees’ policy that the BMC schools are working under for the students from Class 1 to Class 8. The BMC will retrain existing teachers for providing instruction in the international syllabus, with an added emphasis on “professional manner of teaching’, BMC’s education officer Mahesh Palkar told The Asian Age. Mr Palkar said that as per the plan, subjects like Mathematics and Science would see major additions as the BMC considers these subjects as more important. Apart from these, subjects like Social Science, History/Civics and Geography will also have minor additions.

Initially, the state education department came up with the idea of introducing such a scheme in state-run schools. This is when the BMC pitched in and recommended that its schools too join the scheme. Out of the 100 schools shortlisted by the department, BMC has contributed 25 of its schools. From every ward, one ‘best school’ is selected for this project. The BMC is still working on this model and this would be completed by the end of 2017, sources said. They added that they are likely to be introduced in the 25 schools in the next academic year 2017-18.

Mr Palkar said, “When we heard that the state education department has come up with such a scheme, we didn’t want to be left alone as we are one of the biggest corporations with the highest number of civic schools and students. For the students, through this new curriculum, they will learn so many new things about everything along with international exams for the students.”

Teachers will be trained specially for the scheme so that they can understand the introduced curriculum. “No teachers would be exploited for this scheme. If a teacher is interested and is ready to invest extra three hours for the training process, he/she is allowed to join the scheme,” Mr Palkar added.

Right to Education (RTE) activist Sudhir Paranjape welcomed the initiative. “This move will create a greater effect if it is backed with everything attached to the scheme. From teachers to the infrastructure the corporation will avail for their students, everything will eventually connect and create an impact. On a positive note, the wishes of parents from backward families who dreamt of enrolling their kid in an international school, will be fulfilled if things work out properly,” he said.

Another Plan In Works
The BMC’s education department is in plans to introduce Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) level of examinations for Class 10 students as a part of this international curriculum. PISA is an international assessment that measures 15-year-old students’ reading, mathematics and science literacy that is conducted every three years by National Center of Educational Statistics, US.