Current Educational Priorities and Concerns

Brunei Darussalam resumed its international responsibilities as a fully independent and sovereign nation on 31 December 1983, after almost one hundred years of British protection. Brunei Darussalam is one Asia’s oldest kingdoms, having been in existence for more than 1,500 years and was an imperial power from the fifteenth to the sixteenth centuries. Oil, which was first discovered at Seria in 1929, is the most important mineral and it provides almost all of Brunei Darussalam’s wealth.

The country had an estimated population of 276,300 people in 1993, made up of 145,800 (or 52%) males and 130,500 females. The overall increase was 8,500 or about 3.1% over that of 1992. The breakdown of population is: Malays, 185,200 (67%); other indigenous groups such as Murut and Dusun, 16,600 (6%); Chinese, 42,600 (15%); and other races, 31,900 (12%). Of the total population, 181,000 or 66% lived in Brunei/Muara District; 56,000 or 20% in Belait District; 30,700 or 11% in Tutong District; and 8,000 or 3% in Temburong District. In 1996, the total population was estimated at 305,100 persons.

In August 1969, the Brunei Youth Council organized 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 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 organization and hierarchy of the Ministry of Education. This included the creation of an Education Council with representatives from various government bodies.

Although the national education 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.

The present education policy in Brunei Darussalam aims to create the most effective system of education for the country. Education is an on-going endeavour which seeks to develop the all-round potential of the individual, in order to bring into being an educated, devout, as well as dynamic, disciplined and responsible people. These qualities should complement the needs of the State founded on spiritual values which are noble in the sight of Allah. The policy forms a starting point which is oriented towards the specific character of Brunei Darussalam with emphasis on faith and obedience to Allah, priority for the Malay Language and loyalty to Monarch and State.

The major goals of the national education policy are as follows:

to provide at least twelve years of education to every child, namely seven years in primary (including pre-school), three years in lower secondary and two years in upper secondary or vocational schools;

to provide an integrated curriculum as well as suitable and uniform public examinations for all schools in the country;

to provide educational opportunities for children to prepare them to play a useful role in fulfilling the needs and development of the country;

to offer higher education to those with appropriate qualifications and experience according to the changing needs of the country;

to form by the above means a national identity which serves as a foundation for loyalty to the Monarch and Brunei Darussalam;

to build into the education system the qualities of efficiency and flexibility in order to fulfil the changing needs of the country.

The National Development Plan 1996-2000 was the seventh in the series and primarily aimed at giving an all-round enhancement to all facets of life of the people, with emphasis on economic diversification through the development of export-oriented non-oil base industries. The Government has allocated a total of 7.2 billion Brunei dollars (B$) for this purpose, with social services taking the lion’s share at B$1.98 billion; public utilities, B$1.58 billion; transport and communications, B$1.4 billion; industry and commerce, B$907.66 million; public buildings, B$623.83 million; security, B$528.1 million; and miscellaneous, B$173.3 million.

The Seventh National Development Plan focuses on the qualitative aspect of the education system by making it more attractive for students to take mathematics and science subjects. Hence, the Ministry of Education gives priority to these subjects, apart from Malay and English, when considering academic achievement and certain academic levels or streams.

Whilst being conscious of the need to diversify its economic base, there is a desire to preserve the Brunei identity with its own norms, values, traditions and culture. One of the roles and also challenges for the Ministry is therefore to educate citizens who are able to play a role in a sophisticated technologically-oriented society and yet remain imbued with strong Islamic and Malay values. Education policies in Brunei Darussalam have been established with the aim of achieving these goals.

The education policy aims to establish an effective, efficient and equitable education system in agreement with the national philosophy, the Malay Islamic Monarchy. The education system will therefore provide opportunities for all Bruneians to realize their full potential so as to contribute to the development of a progressive and peaceful nation, where the Malay language and culture, Islamic faith and values, and loyalty and allegiance to the Monarch and the State are emphasized.