The process of selecting your child’s education system can be stressful and time consuming. In this article we will help you understand the difference between the 3 major international education systems in Egypt which are American, British (IG) and IB International Baccalaureate education systems.
The American System
The American system consists of 12 years of education, kindergarten, primary school, middle school and high school. It’s known to be an interesting and fun education system as students engage in activities that promote their critical thinking skills such as projects and presentations, hence students do not memorize information.
Student’s grades in the American system is an average of 4 quarters of the year, this creates a chance for students to improve their grades if they achieved low grades in the first quarter. The grading is based on a grade point average system (GPA) out of 4.0.
Besides the tests and quizzes performed by the school all year long, the students sit for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) which is an exam approved by all universities during admission. SAT 1 assesses the student’s math and English levels, whereas SAT 2 is responsible for other subjects such as biology, chemistry and physics. Students are allowed to go for the SAT exam for up to 6 times to improve their grades. The purpose of the SAT exams is to evaluate the readiness level of students to join a college with a common data point that can help to compare all applicants. Depending on each university, there is a minimum SAT score that students must achieve as well as the school transcripts that include high school grades.
The British System (IGCSE)
IGCSE stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Education. In the UK, students study GCSE which is the national curriculum that contains subjects related to the UK such as British history. IGCSE was developed to suit international students.
The key feature of the British system is that you have the option to choose the subjects that suit your interests and your desired university major. Students can also undertake the same subject as many times as they wish to improve their grades.
In Egypt, students take the O-levels (minimum 8 subjects) in the 10th grade. They can choose to take 5 subjects such as math, English, biology, etc. and leave the rest for the upcoming year. Students have the opportunity to choose from a large variety of subjects such as art, psychology, French, German, Arabic, ICT, business, accounting and more.
During the 11th and 12th grades, students study the remaining 3 O-levels and AS level courses corresponding to their choice of university major. If they plan on joining the faculty of medicine, for example, they will choose science subjects such as biology, chemistry and physics. In the final year, students can either retake subjects they are willing to raise their grades in, or they can study A-level or Advanced level subjects which are complementary to the AS level but with more depth and details allowing students to be more ready to their universities.
IGCSE exams are done by Cambridge or Edexcel universities. They are approved by all universities internationally. This can help you get a place at college or university at home or abroad.
International Baccalaureate (IB) system
The IB is a very interesting education system. Its goal is to help develop students who create a better world through their intercultural understanding and respect.
The IB system is divided into primary years, middle years and diploma programs. During the primary years, students learn through the inquiry-based learning where students ask questions and figure out the answers by themselves. Through this method of learning students develop critical thinking, creative thinking and more skills.
During the middle years 8 subjects are studied which are: Language acquisition, Language and literature, Individuals and societies, Sciences, Mathematics, Arts, Physical and health education and Design. Minimum of 50 hours of teaching must be met for each subject.
The diploma program’s main goal is to enhance students who have an excellent depth of knowledge. It helps students succeed physically, intellectually, emotionally, and ethically. The DP curriculum consists of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising theory of knowledge (TOK), creativity, activity, service (CAS), and the extended essay.
American, IGCSE and IB Systems in Egypt
American, IGCSE and IB Systems in Egypt
In order to choose which educational system best fits your child, you must understand the difference between them. Click here for more.
The process of selecting your child’s education system can be stressful and time consuming. In this article we will help you understand the difference between the 3 major international education systems in Egypt which are American, British (IG) and IB International Baccalaureate education systems.The American SystemThe American system consists of 12 years of education, kindergarten, primary school, middle school and high school. It’s known to be an interesting and fun education system as students engage in activities that promote their critical thinking skills such as projects and presentations, hence students do not memorize information.Student’s grades in the American system is an average of 4 quarters of the year, this creates a chance for students to improve their grades if they achieved low grades in the first quarter. The grading is based on a grade point average system (GPA) out of 4.0.Besides the tests and quizzes performed by the school all year long, the students sit for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) which is an exam approved by all universities during admission. SAT 1 assesses the student’s math and English levels, whereas SAT 2 is responsible for other subjects such as biology, chemistry and physics. Students are allowed to go for the SAT exam for up to 6 times to improve their grades. The purpose of the SAT exams is to evaluate the readiness level of students to join a college with a common data point that can help to compare all applicants. Depending on each university, there is a minimum SAT score that students must achieve as well as the school transcripts that include high school grades. The British System (IGCSE)IGCSE stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Education. In the UK, students study GCSE which is the national curriculum that contains subjects related to the UK such as British history. IGCSE was developed to suit international students.The key feature of the British system is that you have the option to choose the subjects that suit your interests and your desired university major. Students can also undertake the same subject as many times as they wish to improve their grades.In Egypt, students take the O-levels (minimum 8 subjects) in the 10th grade. They can choose to take 5 subjects such as math, English, biology, etc. and leave the rest for the upcoming year. Students have the opportunity to choose from a large variety of subjects such as art, psychology, French, German, Arabic, ICT, business, accounting and more. During the 11th and 12th grades, students study the remaining 3 O-levels and AS level courses corresponding to their choice of university major. If they plan on joining the faculty of medicine, for example, they will choose science subjects such as biology, chemistry and physics. In the final year, students can either retake subjects they are willing to raise their grades in, or they can study A-level or Advanced level subjects which are complementary to the AS level but with more depth and details allowing students to be more ready to their universities.IGCSE exams are done by Cambridge or Edexcel universities. They are approved by all universities internationally. This can help you get a place at college or university at home or abroad. International Baccalaureate (IB) systemThe IB is a very interesting education system. Its goal is to help develop students who create a better world through their intercultural understanding and respect.The IB system is divided into primary years, middle years and diploma programs. During the primary years, students learn through the inquiry-based learning where students ask questions and figure out the answers by themselves. Through this method of learning students develop critical thinking, creative thinking and more skills. During the middle years 8 subjects are studied which are: Language acquisition, Language and literature, Individuals and societies, Sciences, Mathematics, Arts, Physical and health education and Design. Minimum of 50 hours of teaching must be met for each subject. The diploma program’s main goal is to enhance students who have an excellent depth of knowledge. It helps students succeed physically, intellectually, emotionally, and ethically. The DP curriculum consists of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising theory of knowledge (TOK), creativity, activity, service (CAS), and the extended essay.
