Tamil Nadu schools to offer Australian curriculum from 2026-27 onwards

The Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) has joined hands with schools in Tamil Nadu to provide curriculum from the academic year 2026-27. The globally recognised curriculum body is also set to onboard 100 schools across India within the next three years.

The signing ceremony took place today at the New India Education Summit 2025 in Chennai in the presence of Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, minister for school education, government of Tamil Nadu.

Notably, St. John’s Global School, Chennai has officially joined the WACE India network. The school will provide curriculum for the academic year 2026-27 onwards.

Syed Sultan Ahmed, Chairman, TAISI (The Association of International School of India) and advisor to WACE India on international curriculum integration said: “The signing of new schools in Chennai reflects the growing confidence among Indian educators in WACE’s international curriculum framework. Our goal is to integrate global best practices into Indian classrooms in a way that supports holistic, flexible, and future-oriented education.”

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Association of Indian Universities (AIU)

In addition, this year, the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) was granted equivalence, which allowed WACE students to pursue higher education in India with Grade 12 equivalence, alongside opportunities at global universities.

“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. It focuses on competency-based, inquiry-driven learning that encourages critical thinking, creativity, and practical application - moving beyond rote-based education to build future-ready learners,” according to the official press release.

Faiza Mirza, chief operating officer, WACE India, said: “We are delighted to welcome St. John’s Global School, Chennai to the WACE India community. With every school, we move closer to creating an ecosystem that empowers Indian students and teachers with international academic exposure, global pathways, and transformative learning opportunities.”

Furthermore, the WACE programme provides students with the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), a globally recognised university entrance qualification accepted by leading universities across different countries.

“The Chennai signing marks another step forward in WACE India’s journey to redefine K–12 education through an international, government curriculum designed to prepare Indian students for the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing world,” it said.