Plus points of international baccalaureate programs

These programs all provide a foundation for students before college but take a different approach, according to experts at the "Talk with Scotch AGS" panel.

In response to the concerns of many parents when they intend to send their children to the baccalaureate program, the speakers in the recently aired webinar "Talk with Scotch AGS" offered some analysis as follows:

IBDP - highlight in community activities

According to Mr. Faizol Musa, IB Program Development and Accreditation Manager for Southeast Asia, currently IBDP is usually for students aged 16 to 19, lasting for about two years. Students will take 6 subjects in areas such as Languages, Humanities, Science, Mathematics, Arts,... They need to register for at least three subjects at the advanced and standard level for students. remaining subjects.

Regarding IBDP certification, students after completing the program will receive a certificate for the entire course. To receive the baccalaureate, students must achieve a minimum of 24 points in total.

A special feature of the IBDP program is that students are required to participate in activities other than academics such as: creativity, activism, community service (CAS) and essay writing (EE). This is the foundation for students to have more rich experiences about life, thereby, developing knowledge, thinking and personality.

Faizol Musa said that the IB program has a training philosophy that encourages students around the world to become active lifelong learners, compassionate and respectful of differences.

"The characteristics of students in the IB program are to strive for qualities such as inquisitive, intellectual, thinker, diplomat, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-taking, balanced, thinking and thinking," he added.

A-Level - "bold" academics

According to the Cambridge Assessment for International Education (CAIE) in the UK, the A-Level is essentially the official upper secondary level qualification in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

A-Level certificates will be issued for each subject instead of the entire course. Cambridge International Examinations will design the curriculum. However, teachers can flexibly design their own teaching methods for each subject.

Currently, A-Level is taught for two years, divided into two stages including AS and A2 levels. In particular, AS is considered a basic school year with foundational knowledge, helping students to continue studying in the following years.

A-Level is academically inclined, creating a foundation for learners to acquire and develop specialized knowledge later. Photo: Adelaide

Students will usually study and take the A-Level certification exam with 4-5 subjects, taught at the same advanced level as university programs. Therefore, the in-depth knowledge of A-Level will create a great momentum for learners when entering university with related disciplines. For example, if it is determined that they will major in chemistry at university, A-Level knowledge in Chemistry helps students have a solid foundation to shine when entering the lecture hall.

However, deep learning right from high school can also be a disadvantage. Students have to put in a lot of effort, it is difficult to get a lot of experience because learning is put first. Besides, for those who have not yet determined their career future, studying in-depth knowledge at A-Level can be a "gamble", with risks.

SACE - experience space

Dr. Erin Mckenzie, Director of Postgraduate Programs and Dean of the Faculty of Education from Western Sydney University (Australia), said the states in Australia all have their own baccalaureate diploma systems such as SACE, VCE, HSC,... Baccalaureate diploma system and assessment process are different but all strictly follow the requirements of the national program.

Professor Martin Westwell - Executive Director of the South Australian Senior Secondary Education Certificate (SACE International) system shared that SACE's degrees are now accepted by most universities around the world. Many students have received valuable scholarships from top universities such as Oxford, Stanford, Cambridge,...

One of the strengths of SACE is the development of language skills. Not only practicing listening, speaking or communicating normally, this program will create a language training environment for learners at an advanced level, which can meet the needs of jobs and university majors later. In the process of studying and working, most of the SACE holders are highly appreciated for their language ability.

The SACE program focuses on language training and facilitating student experiences. Photo: Adelaide

In terms of content, the SACE program is designed with a system of international standard subjects, in many specialties from science - technology to economy - society. In two years, students can choose subjects according to their interests and forte to discover themselves. From there, each young person can accurately orient their future career path.

In addition, thanks to the style of learning, testing, presentation, research, teamwork according to international standards, SACE will provide necessary skills such as collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity. create. Thus, students can confidently become a global citizen in the age of technology and integration.

According to Dr. Hoa Pham, Project Development Manager of Scotch AGS Monolingual International School, before choosing, learners need to learn carefully about the content and orientation of each international baccalaureate program. The differences of A-Level, IB and SACE do not mean which program is better or better. The core issue is to match the qualities and development direction of each student to prepare for the college journey.