Western Australian curriculum now valid in India; early adopters include Chennai school

Western Australian curriculum now valid in India; early adopters include Chennai school

The Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), an international curriculum by the Government of Western Australia signed an MoU with St. John's Global Schoolin Chennai during the New India Education Summit 2025. The MoU signing took place in the presence of Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, Minister for School Education, Government of Tamil Nadu.

The Hindu spoke to Syed Sultan Ahmed, Chairman, The Association of International School of India (TAISI) and Advisor to WACE India on International Curriculum Integration, and Faiza Mirza, Chief Operating Officer, WACE India, about what brings WACE to India, the offerings of the curriculum, criteria for schools to get on board, accessibility and affordability, recognition and equivalence nationally as well as globally, and more.

The WACE curriculum is an internationally accredited senior secondary qualification governed by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA), a statutory body under the Government of Western Australia. WACE focuses on competency-based, inquiry-driven learning that encourages critical thinking, creativity, and practical application — moving beyond rote learning to build future-ready learners.

WACE is currently offered in over 16 countries, including Singapore, China, Japan, and Malaysia. TAISI launched WACE in India in October 2024, marking the beginning of an official collaboration with the Western Australian Department of Education.

WACE India aims to onboard 100 schools across the country within the next three years, across tier one and tier two cities. It has been granted foreign board equivalence by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), making it a valid qualification for Grade XII equivalence and higher education admissions.

Multiple factors contributed to WACE's introduction in India. Mr. Ahmed says that the Australian Government has long expressed interest in contributing to school education in India, with efforts spanning nearly a decade. “Establishing a foreign school board in India is highly challenging, as India exercises strict control over which international boards are permitted. Until now, Indian schools primarily had the choice between Cambridge and IB programmes. WACE introduces a third alternative — an Australian school board.”, he said.

The demand for international education continues to grow, extending beyond metropolitan areas to tier-two and tier-three cities such as Salem, Madurai, and Tirunelveli. Middle-class families increasingly seek alternatives to State matriculation, CBSE, or ICSE systems. As India's private school sector expands, there is a growing need for affordable international options accessible to a wider demographic.

To ensure successful implementation in India, Mr. Ahmed says two key recommendations were provided to the Australian board: localisation of context and an emphasis on professional teacher development. “The Australian authorities responded positively, recognising the importance of adapting to local educational needs and practices”, he said.

Transitioning from one curriculum to another requires significant pedagogical shifts. Ms. Mirza informs that the Australian model prioritises training to support schools through this process. WACE mandates 150 hours of professional development for all the teachers delivering its curriculum. Before implementation, teachers must complete an induction programme consisting of 30–40 hours of intensive training over six to seven days.

Talking about how the curriculum will ensure localisation, Ms. Mirza says that schools are encouraged to continue teaching local languages and to integrate Indian history alongside global and Australian perspectives. The board allows flexibility for schools to include NCERT, CBSE, or State board syllabi, with freedom to determine the proportion of Indian and international content in subjects such as history, social sciences, and geography.

Ms. Mirza says, “The greatest potential for WACE lies in the upper-middle-class segment, where parents are prepared to invest moderately in education. Schools in tier-two cities can implement the curriculum without significantly increasing tuition fees. On an average schools could set the fees structure at ₹75,000 in a tier-two city to adopt the Australian curriculum”.

The WACE program provides students with the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) - a globally recognised university entrance qualification accepted by leading universities across Australia, the U.K., the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

Each student enrolled under WACE receives an Australian Student Identification Number, granting dual recognition as both an Indian and Australian student. Certificates of completion are issued after every grade, from kindergarten to Class 12. Class 10 and 12 remain board examinations.

Published - November 13, 2025 06:05 pm IST

education / Australia / school / students / curriculum

Source: The Hindu
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