Sharjah 24: Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA), in cooperation with the International Baccalaureate Organisation, organised an introductory meeting entitled “International Baccalaureate Open Day (IBO)” aiming to introduce the International Baccalaureate schools and ways to benefit from it in developing educational curricula.

This introductory meeting comes within the efforts of SPEA to develop the educational system and improve its outcomes, in line with its vision of providing distinguished education, and directing students towards appropriate educational options to contribute in turn to the process of building a sustainable and prosperous knowledge society.

The event's agenda included a comprehensive presentation of the International Baccalaureate programmes, starting with the Primary School Programmes (PYP), the Middle School Programme (MYP), and the Secondary Programme (DP), in addition to the Career Baccalaureate Programme, where IB experts provided comprehensive answers to the attendees' inquiries about the curriculum structure, assessment methods, and the benefits of programmes provided by this global educational system, in addition to the steps taken for the interested school to join the International Baccalaureate schools.

The meeting included a panel discussion moderated by Dina Khalaf, Director of the Development and Recognition Department of the International Baccalaureate Programme, entitled “Preparing for the Future of Education: Unleashing the Transformative Power of International Baccalaureate Education.  The panel discussion included Her Excellency Dr. Rabaa Al Sumaiti, Assistant Undersecretary for the Licensing and Quality Sector at the Ministry of Education, Professor Kevin Mitchell, Chancellor of the American University of Sharjah, Vanda Jamoh, Director of the American Gulf Private School in Sharjah, Faiza Qureshi, Head of the Master of Education Department at Murdoch University, and Sultan Al Tunaiji, a third-year student in electrical engineering and graduate of the International Baccalaureate programme in Sharjah.

The speakers highlighted the impact of the International Baccalaureate programme on the future of education, and the importance of adding new educational methods that encourage students to think creatively and promote sustainable education. They also reviewed the most important educational and development opportunities provided by this global educational system and ways to join it, stressing the efforts being made to provide a consistent educational system that focuses on mental and academic health and best teaching practices to empower students and prepare them to face future challenges.

Her Excellency Dr. Rabaa Al Sumaiti praised the teacher’s pivotal role in developing the education system as it is the foundation of any curriculum, stressing the importance of developing students skills and qualifying them to keep pace with the requirements of contemporary and future education

Sultan Al Tunaiji shared his personal experience and pointed out the importance of the International Baccalaureate programme, which paved the way for him towards developing his skills and acquiring the knowledge and experience that he needed to face challenges in the future.

It is worth noting that the International Baccalaureate programme represents a framework aimed at supporting students in achieving their educational and professional successes. 

Since its launch in 1968, the programme has seen remarkable growth, with 1.95 million students enrolled in 160 countries around the world, and about 2 million graduates globally, which highlights the growing demand for this type of education.

According to statistics, the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme was launched in the UAE in 1992, with 59 schools nationwide offering this programme, while schools in Sharjah began offering the IB programme since 2010, and as of this year there are six schools offering this programme.

The meeting called on schools wishing to join the International Baccalaureate programme to communicate directly with the IB Council to obtain the necessary assistance in accreditation and application, and to visit the website to obtain all information, www.ibo.org