Waqiuddin Rajak
HIS Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam called on the Ministry of Education (MoE) to equally examine the weaknesses and strengths of the National Education System for the 21st Century (SPN21) during its review.
In a titah delivered during the 24th Teachers' Day and 100 Years of Formal Education celebrations at the International Convention Centre (ICC) today, His Majesty welcomed the good efforts of the MoE to review the SPN21 after the system was carried out in 2009, but urged the ministry to also look into its weaknesses or deficiencies.
"It is not sufficient to just highlight its strengths (alone)," said His Majesty.
“Because I myself have not forgotten, in the beginning of SPN21, it also displayed a number of shortcomings. Have these weaknesses been addressed?” the Monarch added.
His Majesty also praised the high literacy rate in the country, where men and women, aged between 15 and 24, recorded 99.18 per cent and 99.54 per cent respectively, adding that Brunei have met one of its targets in its Millenium Development Goals.
His Majesty added that Brunei had also fulfilled six objectives in the "Education for All" (EFA) framework, which must be achieved by 2015.
“Based on reports released by Unesco (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation), we have performed well compared to the situations in other countries (where) 250 million children worldwide are unable to read, write and count,” said the Monarch.
* Full transcript of His Majesty's Titah *
I am grateful to Allah, glorified and exalted be He, for being able to be here on this special occasion to commemorate the 24th Teachers’ Day and 100 years of formal education in Brunei, with the theme: “Life Long Education Guarantees the Welfare of the People.”
One hundred years may be taken as a milestone at which point something in progress has reached maturity. So is in the case of education in Brunei Darussalam, which has matured after a span of one hundred years.
Within that period, the country’s education system definitely has gone through many changes depending on the progress and requirements over the course of time.
With his foresight my late father Almarhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, had implemented a well-balanced education policy by focusing on Islamic religious teaching as well as promoting conventional education. This policy has succeeded in producing local intellectuals of quality.
Praises be to Allah, the educational policy which we have implemented, specifically after independence, is now becoming well established. Not only has the system been able to generate human resources needed for the country’s development, it has also helped to unite the citizens and residents of this country as a unified society based on the national philosophy of Malay Islamic Monarchy.
This is where the role of a teacher is of vital importance. A teacher must prove his worthiness by possessing effective leadership skills besides being widely knowledgeable. It is in here the true worth of a teacher lies, so much so that they continue to be well-admired and respected by society.
It is incumbent upon teachers to remind us not to be complacent, and they also need to work hard to reinforce and improve teaching and learning for the acquisition of 21st century competencies.
Towards this end, the Ministry of Education ought to draw up better strategies and approaches for the national education system.
I applaud the worthy efforts of the Ministry in reviewing the National Education System for the 21st Century (SPN21) after it was implemented in 2009. In doing so, the shortcomings as well as the deficiencies of the system, if any, must also be examined. It is insufficient to merely highlight its strengths. This is because I personally have not forgotten that in the early days since its inception, SPN21 revealed a number of weaknesses. Have these weaknesses been overcome or what (action has been done so far)?
At the international level, the Sultanate has participated in the global commitment to provide basic quality education for all children, young and adult persons. I am pleased to note that the literacy rate for male and female between 15 and 24 is 99.18% and 99.53% respectively. This goes to prove that we have succeeded in reaching our Millennium Development Goals in literacy.
We have also achieved 6 objectives of the Education For All (EFA) initiative, which needed to be attained by 2015. According to a report issued by UNESCO, we have done well compared to some countries, where a substantial number or a total of 250 million children across the globe are not able to read, write and count. 130 million of primary school children have not reached the minimum standard of learning, and 120 million have low school attendance, including 57 million who do not attend school at all. Surely, we do not wish to hear that we will also be a contributor to those figures.
I am extremely happy to learn that our country has played a more significant and wider role in this region and internationally. In the past Brunei was well-known for its financial contributions alone, but now we are capable of providing a service to others in the form of “human capital” by sending Bruneians to teach English Language in the neighbouring countries.
Undoubtedly, we in the Sultanate have become part of the global community enjoying the progress of education. However, in our enjoyment of the fruits of education, we must not forget the groundwork when we set on the glorious journey of education to where we are today. The groundwork (or fundamentals) are the (traditional) Islamic religious education.
It is from here when we began to cast our own Brunei mould (of identity). Islamic religious teaching laid the foundation for formal and non-formal education.
This is our Brunei and a system of education (that is our own), of which no one else will alter or modify it.
To conclude… Happy Teachers’ Day to all.
Sumber - The Brunei Times
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