Why Investing in an IB Program for Your Child Is Worth the Money

Investing in your child's education is one of the most pivotal things we, as parents, can do for our children. Having a large or small family may hinder financial possibilities for education at a higher level too. That said, there is a lot of debate on whethera private schools are more beneficial, or should you simply choose government schools and save money. Let's further dive into IB Programs and how they may benefit your child's education.

What Is an International Baccalaureate (IB) School?

Before understanding if IB schools are worth the money for you and your family, let's first understand what they're about. IB schools were first recognized in Switzerland in the late 60s, and it is structured with four educational programs and spans from ages 15-19 for the IB Career Program, 11-16 years for the IB Middle Years Programme, and ages three to 12 for IB Primary Years Programme.

Who Offers This Sort of Education?

Like other private schools, there are only a few IB-focused curriculum schools in a country. Many regulations dictate whether a school qualifies for this or not. Only select schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of the four academic programs, namely: The Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), and the Diploma Programme (DP). They also offer the Career-Related Programme (CP).

What Advantages Do IB Schools Offer?

IB Schools provide unique communication between students and teachers. In IB, students can speak and give their opinion about the subject. In traditional schooling, the teacher is the key speaker, and the students are the listeners or audience.

IB Schools allow children to grow and excel in subjects they excel in. There are co-operating tasks for students to undertake and solo tasks. Working together helps them communicate, learn how to collaborate, help each other, and focus on understanding subjects for themselves. Cooperation may be helpful when it comes time to tackling tests and quizzes. 

International Baccalaureate offers multilevel studying because of the broad subject groups. For instance, children can learn mathematics and science, languages, and humanities. In addition to the subjects mentioned, six other subjects are grouped together. Because of the different approaches to learning, children at IB schools are more willing to take what would usually be considered complex subjects "math" and "science," as their subject choices. Keep in mind that private secondary school students are nearly 50% more likely to take AP or IB courses in science and math than government school students!

Many teens don't even consider time management in their daily life routines, but IB education encourages and guides them to manage time. This time management system will help them share their time with family and friends while still prioritizing studying at school. Finally, in IB schools, there are rules, don't get us wrong. Still, children have lots of freedom. At an IB school, a child is free to be opinionated and give input on various subjects.

Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization into an IB school will be granted. However, assessment processes and validation may determine if your child can attend and be part of the school. In 2019, an estimated 5.8 million students were enrolled in private schools. This is a massive number, but private schools have proven to be money-saving in the long run. Not only will you get a quality education for your child, but you will also be able to take care of your family as you invest in your child's future.