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Why IEB-ISC
"a globally-orientated qualification that has been developed in Africa, by teachers who work in Africa and is designed to accommodate the contexts and worldview of African students"
What makes the IEB-ISC unique?
The IEB-ISC is a qualification that has been developed in Africa, by teachers who work in Africa and is designed to accommodate the contexts and worldview of African students. In its development, the IEB wanted to be as free as we could be from influences outside the continent in the design of the curriculum and in particular what we see as useful and relevant for African students wherever they may find themselves in the world – we did not want an “International qualification in Africa”, but rather a “Globally-oriented qualification with its roots in Africa”.
The ISC is an international qualification in that it is intended to be offered across borders in different countries, particularly in Africa. The term is used specifically to indicate that it is not a qualification of one country that is being offered in other countries but rather one that has been designed with the express intention of being a globally respected qualification for students with an African heritage who want to participate effectively and navigate competently in international communities.
What are the notable features of the IEB-ISC?
The qualification is geared to preparing students for life. There is a “basket” of soft and hard skills, called Global Competences for Lifelong Learning, that students can offer over the two or three years in which they prepare for their final ISC subject-specific examinations. Recognition is given for their experiences in these areas which include digital literacy, active citizenry, career exploration, work readiness, research methodology, Similar options for inclusion in the “basket” will be considered, as and when they arise.
The mathematics offerings in the qualification extend across a range of five levels to accommodate the specific needs, ability and interest levels of students who choose to study the field. At the Further Studies level, the standards and curriculum coverage compare very favourably with what is required by top tertiary institutions across the world. Similar options exist in the study of languages e.g. Further Studies English, as well as science e.g. Further Studies Physics.
The delivery of the qualification can be accommodated very easily in a variety of teaching modes – traditional face-to-face, distance education including online learning and hybrid or blended learning.
Finally, recognising the importance of language and culture in the self-esteem of a community, the qualification recognises a range of indigenous African languages as options of study in the qualification, thereby providing African languages with a more prominent role than they have generally in international qualifications. Since it is an international qualification, the qualification accommodates the offering of other prominent languages in Africa such as Arabic, French, German and Portuguese, to name a few.
In language study, there is also a range of levels in order to accommodate the specific needs, ability and interest levels of students who choose to study in the field of language. At the Further Studies level, currently offered in English and Afrikaans, the standards and curriculum coverage compare very favourably with what is required by top tertiary institutions across the world.
Currently examinations are offered in English and Afrikaans as languages of learning and teaching. However, the qualification includes a provision that should there be sufficient demand to make it viable and that there are appropriate options for tertiary education, the languages of learning and teaching of the qualification can be extended to include other African-based languages of teaching and learning.
Why choose to offer the ISC?
The IEB-ISC is an affordable, quality, international qualification for students at independent schools outside South Africa that can challenge the monopoly that is currently held by international qualifications originating outside the continent. In this way, the education economy in Africa can benefit from funded research within the continent to enhance education including teacher development.
The USAF evaluation of the IEB-ISC provides assurance of its quality and the external oversight by a respected university in Africa, namely Stellenbosch University, underpins that perception.
The ISC expressly acknowledges the importance of African and African-based languages for study and accommodates the possibility for them as options for learning and teaching.
The qualification emphasises and encourages the development of soft and hard skills – global competences - required for success in the modern world.
Provisioning of the qualification accommodates a variety of modes of delivery and at the same time enables quality assurance processes to support the validity and reliability of the qualification.
Being run by an independent assessment body and quality assured by an internationally reputable university, it is substantially less susceptible to external fluctuations in attitudes or upheavals that may occur.