This week BSSC welcomed a group of Chinese teachers to our college. Over the next three weeks they will receive mentoring by BSSC staff on VCE programs and assessment in preparation for delivering the curriculum to their Chinese students in Zhongnan Dongzhou International School (ZDIS).
BSSC is on track to be the second Victorian government school to gain government and VCAA approval to deliver the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) in China.
During the winter holidays, project leaders Linda Lyons and Julia Featherstone along with principal Dale Pearce and Angie Pollock attended the fifth annual VCE Conference in Tianjin where Minister for Education James Merlino signed an historic agreement which will enable the commencement of state school supported VCE delivery in China.
The move builds on the sister-city relationship between Bendigo and Haimen and further strengthens the relationship between BSSC and the Haimen Dongzhou Education group of schools.
ZDIS plans to deliver a Preparatory English and Pre-VCE program from September 2016, with Year 11 VCE Studies commencing in February 2017. Subjects delivered at our Chinese partner school will include English as an Additional Language (EAL), Chinese First Language, Mathematical Methods, Specialist Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics. BSSC mentors will provide ongoing support to their Chinese counterparts as VCE studies are gradually rolled out into ZDIS.
The VCE offers excellent preparation for successful study at leading English language universities. More than ninety percent of Chinese VCE graduates have gone on to study at universities in Australia, the USA, the UK and Canada. This year, more than 500 students in China are due to complete their VCE, with the majority expected to continue their studies at a Victorian tertiary institution.
Partnerships like this one sit at the heart of the Victoria-China relationship and help build stronger links and mutual understanding between the two regions.
Minister for Education James Merlino said the VCE-in-China program creates lasting connections between Victorian and Chinese school communities and gives our students fantastic opportunities for the future, including exchange programs and joint learning projects.
