OIB
ASIBA's main goal is to support the British OIB
The Association brings together the schools, sections and parents’ associations that are involved in
running this examination in France and elsewhere. It also aims to support and promote effective
communication between all the participants in this complex structure. These include the French Ministry
of Education and the Cambridge examinations board, who jointly run the examination, as well as the
CIEP and schools and teachers.
The British OIB examination is the fruit of many years of Franco-British educational co-operation.
It is based on the French Baccalauréat Général, an examination taken at the end of secondary studies.
The baccalauréat commands respect internationally as a high quality preparation for higher education.
The International Option adds to the normal French baccalauréat A level standard studies in two
subjects examined in English. These International Option subjects are taught and examined using
syllabi and assessment practices overseen by a British examination board. This is the
Cambridge board (part of OCR), known for its work in the field of international examinations.
As well as yielding separately identifiable marks, the two OIB subjects (English Literature and History-geography)
contribute significantly to the candidate’s overall average score (moyenne générale).
This unique examination is not only bilingual but also expects that candidates should be 'bi-cultural'.
Two educational cultures come into contact via this structure - two ways of teaching and assessing students,
two ways of approaching the subjects in question, and arguably, two fundamental approaches to education.
For candidates and teachers, this is a uniquely challenging and enriching experience. Standards in the
examination are high, both within subjects taught in French and within the British component.
In 2006, some 500 candidates took this examination. This number is growing each year as more international
sections are founded within French secondary schools. These sections prepare candidates for the OIB. The
French Ministry of Education is currently changing its rules about setting up international sections, with
the aim of making this easier.
As the group of schools offering the OIB grows and the number of candidates increases, ASIBA's role is
becoming increasingly vital. This is nothing less than supporting the infrastructure of Anglo-French
educational communication and co-operation upon which the examination is built.
Hopefully we could add a section here with information as regards the difference between the OIB and the IB
For example this is the text from the CIEP site:
The International Option Baccalaureate must not be confused with the
International Baccalaureate, also called the
Geneva Baccalaureate. The International Baccalaureate was created by the International Baccalaureate Office of Geneva,
and is a foreign diploma which does not give automatic access to higher education in France.
The syllabus for the International Baccalaureate is different from that of the French baccalaureate.