Education is the best thing that parents would give to their children. That is why they always work hard to send them to the best school they know and get the best education they deserve. However, some parents need to go out of their country and stay there for a while for their job. Some of them bring their children along with them and continue their education in that country.
Most students go to an international school where they learn just like in a local school. These are the factors that you need to understand further about international schools in Singapore.
INDIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL IN SINGAPORE
An Indian international school in Singapore accepts different nationalities, regardless of the school’s name. They are known to be the best in their specific area of learning, where they cover every subject with different programmes and levels.
To achieve the best education system, these are the things that you need to look for in an Indian school in Singapore:
OPERATING YEARS
Knowing the operating years of the school would be a great help in learning about their records and history. If they are already operating for years, it means their teachers are already used to handling students. It also shows that they already have enough experience in teaching.
CURRICULUM OFFERS
An International primary school in Singapore has different curriculums than local schools. They have the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the common one, International Baccalaureate (IB).
CULTURE IMPORTANCE
Since the students will study away from their home country, an Indian school needs to make them and their culture welcome. Nationality should not be a hindrance to be accepted in a school. The school may have various activities or recitals for Indian culture. For example, perform an Indian dance or music, or serve Indian food festivals for celebrations.
SCHOOL ACCREDITATION
An Indian international school in Singapore is under the private education sector. Meaning they are also under the Council for Private Education or CPE. If the family relocated to Singapore, they must look for a school that is under CPE.
ACADEMIC STANDING
Look how the international school stands with others. People could not deny that there are parents who look at the school standings before enrolling their children. But, you could not blame them because it is their child’s education, and they are the only ones who know the best.
HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION
Look at the subjects they teach and know more about them. You could also know that the school provides a high-quality education based on the feedback that your child will give you. Their comments matter because they are the ones experiencing the happenings in the school and how their classmates and teachers interact with them.
WELL-TRAINED TEACHERS
The best primary school in Singapore does not only hire an educated teacher. They also employ a well-trained one who has long patience, perseverance, and willingness to teach.
The diploma and degree will prove their knowledge and skills. But their determination to teach students is something else.
PROVIDE TEACHING DEVELOPMENT
Teachers do not only stand in front and teach the lesson after how many hours. The international school also provides the tools to make teaching more creative and newer each day. The institution will introduce new practices and learnings that they could use.
Funds for teachers would also be a great help in supporting them and their job.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS
If a teacher applies for a higher position, give them a chance if they are qualified. Give them feedback about their job and how they will fit into another job position. But still, they will undergo training for their job upgrade.
TUITION FEES
International school tuition fee in Singapore ranges from $1100 up to $2200. However, it depends on the entry age of the student and the months for payment.
These Indian international school standards will not only help the parents but their children as well. Always look for the best primary school in Singapore.
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE
An international school is usually for students whose parents will return to their home country after some year. So once the student leaves, continuing their studies would not be an issue. For this, they follow a diverse curriculum called International Baccalaureate or IB.
International Baccalaureate is one of the best programmes in the world. It is established in Geneva, Switzerland, by the International Baccalaureate Organization or IBO. Its programmes are into four divisions, and all of them are in an Indian international school. The following programmes are:
- Primary Year Programme (PYP) – this IB programme is for three to twelve years old and focuses on knowing themselves, focusing on how the world works, and being aware of their surroundings. This programme is where the kids from international primary school will play, make art, and express themselves in different creative ways possible.
- Middle Year Programme (MYP) – suitable for children ages eleven to sixteen, they are offered eight subjects totalling 50 hours each minimum in an Indian school in Singapore. They teach the students to be more aware and open about the environment and their responsibilities in it. Aside from creating a connection between their fellow students and studies, they will know about the different people they encounter outside the school. And how they will socialise with them.
- IB Diploma (DP) – at the age of 16 to 19 years old, they mature enough to be open in the world and take risks. The theory of knowledge, service, activity, creativity, and essays are the five core subjects. This programme will send them to different projects outside the school. For example, community service. And these projects are what they will use to apply for university.
- IB Career Programme (CP) – CP offers are rare, but a top Indianinternational school in Singapore offers this programme. It is where the students will experience training from a professional setting. They will apply their knowledge and skills to jobs with professional people.
IB also upholds a learner profile for their students to develop their students in different aspects, not just learning. The goals are:
INQUIRERS
Nurture the curiosity of the students and develop their skills from it. You will learn how to provide an answer on your own. Sometimes, with help from fellow students or even teachers. Never stop learning until you get the answer to your question.
OPEN-MINDED
The best primary school in Singapore teaches their students to be open-minded, especially in international schools where cultures and histories are different. Providing various perspectives would be great to know all sides and learn and grow with them.
KNOWLEDGEABLE
Apart from learning inside the classroom, students will also acquire knowledge exploration and conceptual understanding using points of view and disciplines. Students will solve issues and provide ideas that affect everyone.
CARING
Empathy, respect, and compassion. Three essential things that a person must have, no matter what the age and status in life. Always be committed to the truth to give service to others. Students of an Indian school in Singapore must make a difference, no matter how big or small.
THINKERS
Analysing and critical thinking activities and solve problems. This attribute will exercise reasoning and making ethical decisions.
RISK-TAKERS
Being a risk-taker is what many people worry about so much. There is nothing wrong with being one as long as you weigh if the risk is worth taking. If not, fighting for another day is the best option with new ideas, strategies, and stronger cooperation. An Indian international school teaches their students to be resilient and resourceful in facing challenges.
COMMUNICATORS
Communication is the way of making and sorting things out. A good example would be letting people know you. Expressing yourself will make you gain more confidence in yourself and what you can do. But communication is not only about talking. It is also about listening.
BALANCED
Balance is difficult, especially when it comes to physical, emotional, and intellectual aspects. That is why Indian school guidance is there for their students. Before you achieve something, the stability of everything will come to you first.
PRINCIPLED
Act with honesty, fairness, and integrity. Do not let justice be gone if you know that you are on the right. An international school must have the dignity to inspire its students and learn from them.
REFLECTIVE
Do not only focus on yourself. Consider the world around you and how you will affect it through your experience. Understand your strengths and weaknesses, and do not let anyone use them against you. Instead, it will be your defence to reflect upon yourself.
These aims prove that anyone could become responsible and be a good member of a community, aside from learning outside the classroom.
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL VS LOCAL SCHOOL
No matter what the school is, you still learn from it. However, people could not deny the fact that there are differences between an international school and a local school. But, it is not about the lesson set or subjects that they will take. Here are some of the differences between the two:
SIGNING UP
Children enrolled in a local school do not have to be on the waitlist. Once they register, a slot is already saved and provided for them. But in an international primary school in Singapore, parents and students need to wait for a place before they can enrol.
The reason for this is the allotted slots per section. An international school only accommodates up to 25 students per section or per class. If you want to study here, you need to reserve a slot early.
CURRICULUM
Local schools based their lessons on what is provided to the teachers or on their lesson plans. Unlike in international schools, they have IB or IGCSE to follow, especially IB. It opens many opportunities for the students once they graduate and be open in the real world.
CULTURE
Singaporean local schools are usually composed of Singaporean students and teachers, which gives them a chance to interact more with other people. But in an Indian international school, the students need to be moulded slowly because of their different nationalities. Sometimes, it is hard for them to go outside of their culture.
SCHOOL YEAR
January up to mid-November is the school year of local schools in Singapore. However, an Indian school in Singapore is different. They usually start from August up until June of next year. But not all international schools have the same school year opening.
TUITION FEE
For Singaporean citizens, the tuition fee in local schools starts at $13 per month. This price is for primary school. If the level is higher than primary school, the tuition fee range could be around $205 up to $750 a month.
But in an international primary school, it costs thousands. The inclusions are the application, registration, annual tuition, and facilities fees.
LANGUAGE THAT THE STUDENTS USE
Since it is an Indian school, they usually teach their language to the students. But the language they teach does not only revolve around it. They teach other languages, too.
But for local schools, the primary language is taught in English.
SCHOOL HOURS
Kids at local schools go to class from 7:20 in the morning up to 1:40 in the afternoon. It includes a 30-minute break. But in international schools, they start the lesson around 9 am up to 3:30 pm. It has a 60-minute break time or playtime and snack break. It still varies on the school, though.
Even if an international school and a local school have differences, always remember that they both aim to teach children to be successful in their life someday.
PLANNING YOUR STUDY ABROAD
If you are planning to study abroad, always remember to research the country. Learn about the school, its culture, and its people. Be informed about their weather so you will bring the appropriate clothes, and always be nice.
Be ready to live in a different country where culture must be respected and looked up to. Learning the local language would be a big step.
If you are looking for an Indian international school in Singapore, visit NPS International School’s website. You can see the different offers they have there,