Labor to allow International Baccalaureate in public schools if they’re elected

Every public school in the state will be allowed to run courses available across Australia, but are currently banned in NSW, if Chris Minns becomes premier.

Every public school in NSW would be given the option of running International Baccalaureatecourses under a Labor government, overturning a longstanding restriction relegating the global program to kids who can afford private schooling.

Opposition Leader Chris Minns said it “makes no sense” that government schools in other states, including Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT, can run the IB while NSW’s public schools are banned from doing so.

Currently, 34 private schools in NSW run one or more of the four IB courses – the primary years and middle years programs through to year 10, and the Career program and Diploma program as HSC alternatives.

The IB diploma is an academically rigorous and university-focused course which the Department of Education recommended be trialled in an unreleased 2017 report.

Allowing public schools to run the IB “… would provide equity of access and will achieve a school and system improvement objective,” the report says.

NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns believes IB courses should be available to all NSW students. Picture: NCA Newswire/Gaye Gerard

Mr Minns said: “The introduction of the IB was recommended by the NSW Department of Education over five years ago, yet the NSW government ignored it.

“Labor will act to ensure access to the IB is equitable across all sectors.”

Under Labor’s plan, individual public schools would be able to lodge expressions of interest to trial the course or courses that suit their school.

The department says it “continually investigate(s) different educational programs and curriculum offerings” but has no plans to introduce IB.

IB Australasia secretary Antony Mayrhofer said it would be “fantastic for all students ... to have equal access to a globally recognised, outstanding educational program”.