IB For All, Made Affordable

Around 80% of students at Glee Path, where Janet teaches, are ethnic minorities, mainly from South-East Asia. Learning Chinese is particularly difficult for them and they are not familiar with many local issues as Janet observed from their Liberal Studies lessons.

Janet thinks that Hong Kong’s education system is “spoon-feeding” and “teaching to the test”. Curriculums under such a system often focus on preparing students for standardized tests which could cause immense stress for them. The traditional form of schooling would be dull and hard to digest for her students, she stated that an innovative type of education would suit her students best as they are lively and energetic.

With that in mind, when the school decided to implement the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, Janet jumped on the opportunity to help develop the curriculum. It is designed to increase global awareness and emphasizes critical and independent thinking and logical inquiry. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of holistic and creative education aiming to develop a multi-skilled individual through experiential learning.

Education For All, Regardless Of Background

The IB program enables Janet’s students to learn with fewer limitations. Unlike traditional schooling which restricts the learning content to what appears on tests, the IB program, as Janet pointed out, encourages them to learn in interactive ways, such as debating, group activities, seminars, and presentations. Janet’s class, Research and Enquiry, allows her students to explore different research methods and assimilation of knowledge is often more effective as they are acquired through the students’ own experiences.

While the IB program’s popularity has been growing globally, critics argue that it is regarded as ‘elitist’ and is unaffordable. Janet said, “Education equity should not be measured by money and quality education should not be available only to children from well-off families. However, diversified teaching strategies and experienced teachers are often inaccessible to children from poorer households.”

In Hong Kong, the IB program is only offered in international schools, private schools, and high banding schools which are benefited from the Direct Subsidy Scheme. She believes that it is her responsibility to help underprivileged students as they do not have as many opportunities in their career paths when compared to the others and this boosted her determination to implement the low-cost IB program in Glee Path.

Taking The Lead, One Step At A Time

When the IB visitors came for the IB authorization, they made an impressive comment which touched Janet’s heart. “They recognized the principal’s belief in implementing low-cost IB as a way to strive for education equality. Besides, the coordinators remarked on the students’ unexpectedly well mannerisms and demeanors and said they do not seem like students from a low-banding school,” said Janet.

Janet concludes that her two years of teaching experience has changed her fundamentally. During the Fellowship Program, Teach for Hong Kong exposed her to a variety of innovative learning strategies and networking events which aided her construction of the IB curriculum.