Consultants From UK Review SPN 21
By James Kon

Bandar Seri Begawan - Aimed at producing more balanced and developed workforce for the future, Brunei's Ministry of Education has embarked on the implementation of the new 21st Century Education System or SPN 21.

The new system is currently on a trial run across the country as it has been incorporated into the Lower Secondary One this year.

The success in its implementation depends on the full involvement of main and external stakeholders, consensus of the society, as well as capacity-building and providing early English language teaching in rural areas.

These were some of the pointers provided by Tom Leney, one of three consultants from the UK's Qualifications and Curriculum Authority currently in the Sultanate to review and consolidate several educational reforms proposed in the SPN 21 draft.

Tom Leney, who is also the head of its International Unit, stated, "Very careful implementation, which needs quite a powerful consensus, is the right path to go.

"This is not an easy change and affects the education training system. Teachers, school leaders and university lecturers all have to be involved for such changes to take place.

"I think most teachers see this as a positive but difficult development. People who need training need to be included in the early stages to build up capacity and make the changes."

He further stressed, "It's also important to keep an eye on groups that are in the rural areas, who have lesser early access to the English language."

"The idea is to move away from sort of relying too much on learning through memorisation or other approaches that leave students rather passive to a more active kind of learning.

"Needed are the key skills that you need to be affective in your own personal life and the rather complicated world that we live in now - the basic skills that everybody needs to have access to, so that they would be able to be employed in the 21st century.

"So these are the kinds of knowledge, skills and aptitude that will be helpful to people for their personal life in the modern society with respects to the ethics that Brunei have."

"Among our roles is by looking at the plan that was developed, we have the opportunity to meet and interview a wide variety of stakeholders this week. We think that the plan was set up in a sensible and appropriate basis, but it does not mean that it will be easy to implement," he added.

"We are also thinking through some questions and preparing a report that will come with some positive recommendations, as well as critical comments to sharpen up or make more coherence of what it is you are trying to do. We hope to make a small but significant contribution to what you are doing."

Speaking at a roundtable discussion with external stakeholders, Tom Leney said, "It has been very fruitful at the briefing with the Ministry of Education and representatives from BEDB, Brunei Shell, BLNG and AiTi, all concerned with the same set of concerns.

"These include learners coming through the education system with sets of skills, attitude, aptitudes and knowledge needed in the world of employment." Also present at the discussion were Deputy Permanent Secretaries at the Ministry of Education and other senior officers.  -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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