From the Minister  Development of Education  Aims of Education National Education Policy  Organisation Structure  Departments / Units / Sections School System   School Directory    School Statistics  Publications   What's New Bulletin/News Advertisements Job Vacancy   Educational Links   Feedback	THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION IN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM Formal education began in Brunei in 1912 with the opening of a Malay vernacular school in Brunei Town  (now known as Bandar Seri Begawan).  By 1918, similar schools had been opened in Muara, Belait and  Tutong. Education in these early vernacular schools was limited. It was conducted in Malay for boys aged between seven and fourteen years and the curriculum included Reading and Writing (in both Arabic and Romanised script), Composition, Arithmetic, Geography, History, Hygiene, Drawing and Physical Education. Gardening and Basketry were later introduced at some schools.   The Chinese community established their own school in 1916 and the first non-government English medium primary school was established in Seria in 1931. In order to encourage parents to send their children to school, limited compulsory attendance was introduced in 1929. The Brunei Town area  was the only location immediately affected. Prior to the outbreak of war in the region in 1941, the number of schools in Brunei had increased to 32 which included 24 Vernacular Malay, 3 private English and 5 private Chinese. The number of pupils enrolled was 1,746, including 312 girls. The period following the Second World War saw much reconstruction in Brunei. This was attended by the country's rapidly developing oil industry and growing civil service.  In October 1951 a Brunei Town Government English school was opened in the capital, followed by the opening of a similar school in Kuala Belait a year later. In less than three years, the Government was able to introduce English medium secondary education to the country.  It was not until 1966 that the Government was able to start Malay medium secondary education. In 1954 Brunei embarked on a five year Development Plan for education. The Plan created the infrastructure for what eventually became the Ministry of Education. New schools were planned, large numbers of teachers trained and more expatriates employed in the schools.  By the completion of the Plan in 1959, there were 15,006 pupils enrolled in the State's schools, 30 per cent of whom were girls. There were 52 Malay primary schools; 3 English schools (including one exclusively for girls that had been completed in 1958); 7 mission schools; 8 Chinese primary schools and 3 Chinese secondary schools. (In 1957 these Chinese schools effectively came under Government control). There were also 133 Bruneians at teacher training colleges overseas, and many at Brunei’s  own college that had opened with a modest intake in 1956. Expatriate teachers were employed from Ceylon, India, Singapore, Malaya, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and Australia.  In August 1969, the Brunei Youth Council organised a seminar on education which centred on the needs and importance of having a national education policy. This led directly to the establishment of an Education Commission in 1970. The subsequent Report of the Brunei Education Commission was submitted to the Government in 1972.  The Government adopted and implemented parts of the Report in 1974 and this formed the basis for the present Ministry of Education organisation and hierarchy.   This included the creation of an Education Council with representatives from various government bodies, the then Director of Education, the Director of the Schools Inspectorate, and a Planning, Research and Guidance Unit which acted as the Secretariat to the Council.  Although the National Educational Policy of 1962 and the Report of the Education Commission, 1972, both recommended the use of Malay as the main medium of instruction in primary and secondary schools, subsequent events determined a change of emphasis in the final choice of language medium for the country's national education system. In 1984 a bilingual education policy - dwibahasa - was introduced. This bilingual policy should ensure that pupils attain a high degree of proficiency in both English and Malay.  All primary and secondary schools adopt a common curriculum prescribed by the Ministry of Education.   Following the implementation of the National Education System in 1985, which incorporated two school languages, the extent of the use of the English Language and Malay Language as the media of instruction was adjusted accordingly.   From Pre-school level to Primary III, the medium of instruction for all subjects is the Malay Language, except for English Language which is taught as a subject. From Primary IV onwards the pupils follow a bilingual system where two media of instruction are used. The Malay Language is used for teaching Malay, Islamic Religious Knowledge, Physical Education, Arts and Crafts, Civics, and MIB. The English language is used for teaching subjects such as Science, Mathematics, Geography, History and English Language itself. Primary schooling in government schools is free to citizens and permanent residents of Brunei Darussalam.  Non-citizens may apply for permission to send their children to government schools on a fee-paying basis.  Most, however, send their children to non-government schools or abroad.  The number of school days in a year varies between 202 and 210.  There are four (4) school terms in a school year which runs from January and December. As a result of the continuous effort by the Ministry of Education to provide education for all through the provision of formal and non-formal education, the literacy rate in Brunei Darussalam had risen from 69% to 92.5% in 2001. One of the challenges for the Ministry of Education is to produce Bruneians who are able to play their part in the present day knowledge-based economy and yet, at the same, remain imbued with strong Islamic and Malay values.  Education policies in Brunei Darussalam have been established with the aim of achieving these goals.  This would include policy facilitating the merger of religious schools under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the schools under the Ministry of Education under the concept of 'one roof' following His Majesty's call for unity in education.  Under the direction of the National Education Council which was set up in 1999, the merger was implemented in phases beginning with the placement of three sections from the Department of Islamic Studies, Ministry of Religious Affairs, namely the Inspectorate Section, the Examinations Section and the Curriculum Section under the existing School Inspectorate, Examinations and Curriculum Development Departments in the Ministry of Education respectively, effective 1 March 200.  This was followed by the transfer of other sections.  The merger was fully implemented in January 2002 with the transfer of the Department of Islamic Studies and all the religious schools under its jurisdiction to the Ministry of Education. The merger of religious and regular schools under one roof allows the whole day schooling to be implemented as a pilot project in several primary and secondary schools.  Under the whole day schooling, the schools share the same building, facilities and come under one school management but still following different curriculum.  As a continuous effort towards establishing an integrated system of education, the Ministry of Education began efforts to integrate the curriculum by streamlining the contents of three curricula, that is, the religious school curriculum, one religious subject taught in the primary and secondary school curriculum and Al-Quran and Islamic Religious Knowledge taught in several schools as a pilot project, into one curricular component of Islamic Education within the integrated education system. THE PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION  Brunei Darussalam's Education Philosophy is founded on the National Philosophy of a Malay Islamic Monarchy and also incorporates the two key elements of  naqli (on the basis of the holy Quran and Hadith) and Aqli (on the basis of reasoning).   These two elements are essential in the development of individuals to their fullest potential, thereby bringing forth people who are knowledgeable, skillful, faithful, pious, and of excellent character which are fundamental in the realisation/emergence of a national identity based on the national philosophy as well as Islamic teachings in accordance with Ahli Sunnah Wal-Jamaah. This is an important foundation for ensuring loyalty to Islam, the Monarch and the nation.  VISION Quality Education Towards a Developed, Peaceful and Prosperous Nation  MISSION Provide Holistic Education to Achieve Fullest Potential for All  EDUCATION POLICY  ·         Implementation of a national education system that prioritises the use of the Malay Language as the official national language and the use of major languages such as English and/or Arabic as a medium of instruction;  ·         Provision of 12 years of education for every student that is, 7 years of primary education including a year of pre-school, 3 years of lower secondary and 2 years of upper secondary, or vocational or technical education; ·         Provision of an integrated curriculum as well as suitable and uniform public examinations administered according to the level of education, including special needs, in all schools throughout the nation; ·         Provision of Islamic Religious education in accordance with Ahli Sunnah Wal-Jamaah, through the school curriculum; ·         Provision of facilities for mathematics, science, technical and information and communications technology education in order to enable students to obtain knowledge and skills that are relevant and necessary in the constantly changing world of employment; ·         Provision of self-development and enrichment programmes through co-curricular activities in accordance with the national philosophy;  ·         Provision of opportunities in higher education for those with appropriate qualifications and experience, such opportunities to be offered based on national needs as and when they arise; and,   ·         Preparation of the best possible educational infrastructure in order to fulfill national needs.  AIM OF EDUCATION  To maximise the intellectual, spiritual, emotional, social  and physical potential of every individual, for the formation of a developed society that is strongly founded on the Malay Islamic Monarchy philosophy.        EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES  The following national education objectives will help achieve the above aim :  ·         Implementation of an integrated curriculum so that the spiritual, physical, intellectual, social, and aesthetic talents of each individual can be developed in a balanced way;  ·         Implementation of the curriculum for all according to level and need, including Special Education;  ·         Implementation of Islamic Religious Education programmes in order to enhance understanding and to uphold Islamic values among all individuals so as to enable them to bring about harmony in society, and for every Muslim to be  faithful and pious forever;  ·         Upgrading the  proficiency and fluency in Malay, English and the Arabic languages;  ·         Provision of programmes for learning foreign languages according to needs;  ·         Enhancement of mathematical, scientific, technical and information and communications technology skills;  ·         Implementation of educational programmes for  the development of self reliant  and enterprising individuals;  ·         Implementation of technical education programmes which are responsive, relevant and flexible and in line with global economic development  in order to fulfill national development needs;  ·         Implementation of educational programmes based on culture, society and nationalism for the development  of Brunei citizens;  ·         Provision of opportunities for skills training in professional and semi professional areas;  ·         Implementation of educational programmes towards maintaining peace and harmony in the environment;    ·         Implementation of educational programmes oriented to family in order to mould the attitude of individuals and society  into being courteous, caring and loving;  ·         Creating understanding and awareness among  people about the nation’s socio-economic and political status; and,   ·         Implementation of enrichment and value added programmes, and industrial placement/training for the enhancement of the quality of an individual so that he/she is able to compete at the international level;  Primary schooling in government schools is free to citizens and permanent residents of Brunei Darussalam. Non-citizens may apply for permission to send their children to government schools on a fee paying basis. Most, however, send their children to private schools or abroad. The number of school days in a year varies between 202 and 210. There are four school terms starting from January to December.
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