With the Indian population growing in the UAE, especially in cities like Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Indian schools and curricula like CBSE and Montessori have started growing too.
The Indian schools teach the students to respect the Indian values and culture and educate them about the history and values the country has. This is one of the reasons why Indian parents want their kids to pursue education in an Indian International School.
Not only the Indian values, but these schools teach them to respect diverse cultures and give them great exposure to the global arena while aiming to shape them as global citizens.
Curricula in the Indian schools
CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education)
The Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) is a school curriculum that is offered in 20 plus countries across the world. It’s a very reputable program from India under which students learn and thrive. It is considered more student-friendly in terms of ensuring that students don’t face too much pressure.
CBSE board supports well-balanced studies with extracurriculars along with subjects like arts and physical education. And this not only helps in the academic growth of the students but also encourages personality development.
The syllabus is structured, and there are NCERT textbooks for this curriculum. NCERT books are designed in a way that it covers the syllabus of many universities’ entrance exams.
It supports all streams but is specifically favourable for those who want to go with engineering or medicine. The secondary level curriculum of the CBSE is focused on seven key areas.
The subjects in CBSE include Humanities, Geography, History, Economics, Home Science, Sociology, Fine Arts, Political Science, Fashion Studies, Creative Writing, Translation Studies, Mathematics and Health, and Physical Education. It also includes Science and Technology subjects, Visual and Performing Arts subjects, Commerce subjects, including Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Drama, Business Studies, and Economics.
With CBSE curriculum, Indian International school fees are comparatively less than other international curricula.
Montessori Program
A curriculum designed especially for Nursery and kindergarten students, the Montessori program gives students exposure to a Cross-Curricular, Montessori, and Thematic style of learning.
A typical Montessori preschooler learns English, Basic Numerals, Environmental Studies, Hindi and Thai as a second language, Art and Craft, Physical and Health Education. The curriculum also includes practical life exercises, sensorial exercises, phonics, and more about Montessori culture and style of learning.
Many Indian schools in Abu Dhabi have successfully incorporated Montessori as part of their pre primary programs.
International Baccalaureate
This curriculum emphasizes critical thinking and intercultural understanding. In an IB, a student has to take 6 subjects, with three subjects at the Higher Level and three subjects at Standard Level and the DP Core which are Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, and Creativity, Action, and Service.
The major focus of the IB curriculum is on creativity, experiment-based learning, and a holistic approach. IB curriculum is designed in a way that a student becomes fit for global citizenship.
Many Indian International Schools in Abu Dhabi provide this curriculum for the students. Critical thinking is a crucial aspect of today’s world as it enables a human being to analyse and evaluate ideas and situations.
The India International Schools keep in mind that not only the child needs to value the Indian culture, but the child needs to be shaped as an adult who knows and values the globe and all the cultures and opportunities that come with it.
India International Schools expose the child to the international community along with teaching them about their roots.
Indian International school fees for IB curriculum is higher than that of a normal schooling because IB schools extend the basic curriculum to include a diverse set of academic pursuits. These include projects, oral presentations, and various other activities which require additional time and money. Besides, in order to impart the IB curriculum, schools also need to provide teachers with regular training.
India International School Fees
The fee of India International schools in Abu Dhabi depends upon the grades, as with the addition in grade, the fee increases too. Most of the school’s fees structures are designed to be affordable for the parents while providing them maximum benefits against their money.
There are different modes of fee payment – online, cash, or via any other mode. The schools have made the process very easy and simple along with making the fee structure affordable for most of the inhabitants there.
The average Indian International school fees goes from AED 2200 to AED 96,333. Even after providing great facilities like international curriculum, extracurricular, and modern technology teaching, most of the schools have affordable fee structures. This helps the parents to be able to get their child admitted into the schools of their choice and still maintain healthy finances.
At the same time, some schools can be a little expensive too. However, it also depends upon the national rankings of the school. The higher the ranking, the better the school and the chances of higher fees. Though, most of the Indian Schools in Abu Dhabi have great rankings with affordable fee structures.
Student Loans and Scholarships
Even after affordable fees, many parents are still not able to fulfil the financial requirements to get their child admitted into the schools of their choice where the child can thrive and grow. For these students, a large number of scholarships are available given by the schools themselves.
Though different schools have different criteria for their scholarships, it’s a great opportunity for the parents as well as the children where they’re not bound by the presence or absence of finances but are purely bound by their capabilities and interests.
Even if the students are not able to fulfil the scholarship criteria there are student loans with minimum interest rates for which even the students are able to pay them back after completing their education.
Conclusion
Indian Schools in Abu Dhabi are thriving not just because there is a hike in Indians relocating to the city but because of the facilities they provide, the great rankings, teaching staff, and curriculums they offer which are within the financial capacities of most of the families.
The presence of scholarships and student loans makes it a much better place for both the parents and children for education and work opportunities.
