PC Logo

What is Logo?

Logo is a unique piece of software. In the purest sense, Logo is a programming language; it is a full-featured computer language derived from LISP, the language of artificial intelligence. More important, however, Logo is a language for learning. It is the right toll to teach the process of learning and thinking. Logo provides an environment where students assume the role of teacher. As a teacher, they must:

·         Understand the knowledge to be taught

·         Plan an approach to impart this knowledge

·         Break the knowledge into small, understandable chunks

·         Know how to clearly communicate the knowledge

·         Established this new knowledge as a foundation for future learning

·         Be aware of and build on knowledge that the learner has

·         Br receptive to exploring new ideas as they appear

·         Respond to the learner’s (computer’s) misunderstandings and errors

Students do this in logo by:

·         Experimenting with logo commands to understand them and be confident in their use

·         Planning their task and organise it into various components

·         Writing a set of instruction to perform each small task

·         Constructing a program to perform all the tasks in the right order

·         Evaluating their program to assess whether the tasks is performed correctly.

·         Debugging their program by locating and correctly errors or restricting their approach

Logo is not limited to any particular topic or area. However, it is most useful for exploring mathematics, as Logo’s turtle graphics provides a natural mathematical environment. Since turtle moves in distances and turn in degrees, studying geometry by constructing and investigating polygons and figures makes Logo a powerful learning tools. Logo by nature:

Friendly           Logo is easily grasped; we can relate to the turtle and use it as an object to think with.

Extensible       Logo can be taught new commands and other commands can be built thereon.

Forgiving         Logo offers immediate feedback through helpful and informative messages.

Flexible           Logo is useful with preschoolers as it is with students of higher mathematics.

Powerful         Logo is a programming language, providing all the tools needed to create programs of any degree of sophistication.

So although Logo is a programming language, it is better thought of as a language for learning; a language that encourages students to explore, to learn, and to think.

 For further information, please click the following website: http://www.scribd.com/doc/13236735/PC-Logo-Assignment

The EuclideanReality

EucideanReality

Euclidian Reality is a dynamic geometry builder. With Euclidian Reality you can create exact figures regarding their mathematical properties, distort them freely, check properties such as angles and lengths, print figures and export them in several formats, vectorial or bitmap. You can perform any kind of configuration in Euclidian geometry. It is free software which can be downloaded from the website http://membres.lycos.fr/animgallerie/euclide .

The topic that I would like to illustrate are the properties of circles. I have drawn three separate diagrams using this software. This will help the students to measure the angles more accurately rather than using protractor. Beside that, we will know the characteristics of the properties better.

 

Just click the topic EuclideanReality and the website will work. The website is http://www.scribd.com/doc/13258056/Euclidean-Reality

Method of Teaching Trigonometry

Trigonometry is often introduced in Form 3 with most textbooks traditionally starting with naming sides of right-angled triangles. These activities offer a different approach, aligning well with the significance dimension of the NSW Quality Teaching model. Students need to see and understand why their learning of trigonometry matters.

This is researches I have carried out for my assignment

Please refer to this website:

http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/secondary/mathematics/years7_10/teaching/trig.htm

What is Trigonometry?

Trigonometry (from Greek trigōnon “triangle” + metron “measure”) is a branch of mathematics that deals with triangles, particularly those plane triangles in which one angle has 90 degrees (right triangles). Trigonometry deals with relationships between the sides and the angles of triangles and with the trigonometric functions, which describe those relationships.

Trigonometry has applications in both pure mathematics and in applied mathematics, where it is essential in many branches of science and technology. It is usually taught in secondary schools either as a separate course or as part of a precalculus course. Trigonometry is informally called “trig”.

• The sine function (sin), defined as the ratio of the side opposite the angle to the hypotenuse.

The cosine function (cos), defined as the ratio of the adjacent leg to the hypotenuse.

The tangent function (tan), defined as the ratio of the opposite leg to the adjacent leg.

Also take note of the trigonometry games & quizzes available in the sidebar.

Click on images to see animation of the curves of sec, cosec and other trigonometric curves.

Factors to obtain good results.

This study is to show what is required, in order to obtain good results for students.

1. Good student lifestyle of studying in order to produce good results
2. Mathematics achievement between genders
3. Attitude of high and low ability students
4. Studying habits of students
5. Understanding of Mathematics
6. Student’s self-confidence
7. Teacher’s ability
8. School environment
9. Peer learning
10. Parental guidance

THE MAIN STUDY

Primarily, the main study intended to investigate the knowledge and understand of Triogonometry for two Sixth Form college i.e. one with streaming and another with non-streaming. This study also attempted to assess the influence of learning styles of students, their gender, confidence levels, attitudes and study habits on the students’ understanding of trigonometry in the two college. The study hoped to untravel some of their significant effects and to explores their inter-relationship.

Statement of the Research Questions

It is hoped that the study would answer the following research questions:

1. Did the new knowlege acquired by the students after the lessons on trigonometry in Form Sixth affect the students’ understand of trigonometry?
2. Did the Sixth Form students’ confidence in answering questions on trigonometry after the overall new knowledge acquired by the students after the lessoms om integration?
3. Did the students’ confidence levels correlate with their achievement scores?
4. Did gemder, attitude and study habits have been any influence on the level of understanding of students on tigonometry?
5. What is the learning styles adopted by the students of Sixth Form lessons on trigonometry and were the learning styles used by them effective in their influencing their level of understanding of trigonometry?

MOVING AHEAD – THE NEW EDUCATION SYSTEM FOR 21ST CENTURY

The Ministry of Education (MoE) Brunei Darussalam is committed to providing an educational system that prepares our young generation for future roles as capable, creative and thinking citizens who would uphold the local social values inherent in the MIB (Melayu Islam Beraja) philosophy, and at the same time adopting noble universal values to enable them to project their identity and image positively and correctly, whilst at the same time can live and compete in the midst of globalization. Towards this, a sound educational system is vital to our nation and its people. The present education system has to some extent proven over the years capable of providing quality education to its people. Minor changes have been made along the way to adapt to the changes that has occurred both regionally and globally. However, more needs to be done in view of the economic, technological, informational, demographic and political forces that have transformed the way people work and live. Students will spend their adult lives in multitasking, multifaceted, technology-driven, diverse and vibrant world, and they must be equipped to do so. Today’s education system faces irrelevance unless we bridge the gap between how students will live and how they learn. What is ideal today may not be so in the future.

The MoE has produced a report on a general study of the education development of the country in retrospect for the past 20 years. It ascertained that there are some milestones of success as well as shortcomings in the present system of education. In an effort to address those issues and concerns, the MoE has recently laid out a broad overview planning for the next 20 years ahead. It formulated a strategy map that encompasses all efforts to advance its educational reforms to new levels by focusing on three strategic themes: namely professional, accountable and efficient organisation; quality education; and teaching and learning excellence. Subsequently, the MoE introduces the necessary and drastic changes to the education system through a newly proposed system known as the National Education System for the 21st Century or in Malay, Sistem Pendidikan Negara Abad Ke-21 (SPN21). The MoE also considers the SPN21 as a common platform to realize it strategic plan, and its vision and mission.

Hence, the introduction of Ministry of Education’s Strategic Plan 2007-2011 signalled the desire on the part of the Ministry of Education ‘case for change’ in upgrading teaching and learning in schools with the aim of improving education achievement and the holistic development of the individual in Brunei Darussalam. The Ministry of Education’s commitment towards excellence in education as reflected in its Vision and Mission statements. These are seen as imperative values in view of the current climate of rapid change coupled with increasing competition and globalization. The SPN21 curriculum and assessment for schools sets out to meet the Ministry of Education’s Strategic Plan initiative an Quality Education that includes critical skills in Mathematics, Science, Languages and ICT; 21st century needs; entrepreneurial skills and lifelong learning; and study skills and values education. It sets out the foundation policy for learning and assessment in schools to bring it in line with 21st century demands and needs.
The phenomena of globalisation and digitalisation in the 21st Century has brought about new educational challenges. Instead of just focussing on cognitive and skills development, other aspects of a holistic education such as the inculcation of spiritual, moral, social, cultural attitudes and values, as well as physical development were also emphasised.

3.1 Education Aims: Vision, Mission and Towards Globalisation

The Brunei Darussalam 21st Century National Education System (SPN21) aims to:

3.3 Key Design and Development Strategies

In the Ministry of Education Strategic Plan (2007-2011), various internal processes had been stated to be

implemented properly organised into the 5 Key Design and Development Strategies.

3.3.1 Education for Nation Building and Human Capital Development3.3.2 Quality Education Through Balanced, Relevant and Differentiated Curriculum

· Multiple/flexible pathways to higher education

· Incorporated in the curriculum, entrepreneurship skills/marketable skills

· Broad curriculum to meet students’ inclination, interest and abilities

3.3.3 Quality Education through Creditable Quality Assurance or Assessment Systems of International Standard

· Assessment on Brunei students’ achievement benchmark with international standards

· Teaching standard

· Collaboration with renowned international examination bodies e.g. CIE

· Partnership/collaboration with local industries and international bodies on technical skills development and competency

· National Qualification Framework

· Education for nationhood/citizenry;

· Generation of workforce for knowledge-based economy;

· Compulsory 9 year education by law;

· At least 12 year education provision for all Bruneians;

· Inclusive education policy;

· Schooling aids for poor/needy or socially/economically deprived children;

· Life-long learning;

· Education for sustainable development; and

· Co curriculum and Physical Education policies

· Fulfil the needs and challenges of the social and economic development of the 21st century

· Realize the Ministry of Education’s vision and mission

· Develop 21st century skills

· Fulfil the Strategic Themes as outlined in the Ministry of Education’s Strategy Plan (2007-2011)

The Vision Statement of the Ministry of Education is “Quality Education Towards A Developed, Peaceful and Prosperous Nation” and the Mission Statement is “To Provide Holistic Education To Achieve Fullest Potential For All”. It comes with the Ministry’s Strategic Plan for 2007-2011 (Figure 2). The Strategic Plan envisages the need for change through the provision of a sound education system that is more meaningful and ultimately, more effective in preparing students for learning in this complex digital society.

The MoE also has a policy of providing a minimum of 12 years of education. This comprises 7 years in primary education (inclusive of 1 year in pre-school) and 5 years in secondary. In view of the importance of education in the life of an individual, the MoE has made basic 9 year education mandatory for every child.

3.2 Rationale

To keep up with the fast changing world, Brunei Darussalam has reviewed and recommended changes to its current education system to one that prepares our students with the relevant knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to meet the changing needs of a forward thinking economy, and is responsive to the needs of various stakeholders. The rationale for change is also based on the following reports and references:

· Report by the Special Working Committee on Human Resources-Brunei Darussalam National Human Resource Development Policy and Plan (extract from Draft 5, 4th January 2005). The report stated that the current education does not provide enough skills required to school leavers as a preparation for the world of work, especially to meet the globalization and knowledge-based economy in the 21st Century
· Reference to educational systems and curricula of various countries
· Report on the visits to schools and discussions with Ministry of Education officials (Hugo Baetens Beardsmore Report, 1993)
· Brunei Bilingual Child Report (UBD in collaboration with the Ministry Of Education, 1998 )
· Science Education Provision in Secondary Schools in Brunei Darussalam (Sharifah Maimunah, IIEP, UNESCO 1995). The report touched on the low enrolment rate taking Pure Sciences at the secondary level and the low achievement in science subjects at the BC GCE ‘O’ level examinations
· Promising results of a trial that has been done on a very small number of students doing PMB in 2 years

SPN21 also addresses concerns on:

§ The need to sustain and strengthen performance in Bahasa Melayu
§ Low English Language proficiency
§ Poor performances in Mathematics and Science

THE EVOLUTION OF EDUCATION IN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

2.1 Education Policy

The earliest draft on education policy was introduced in the First National Development Plan (1954-1959). It laid down the basic foundation for the infrastructure of Brunei’s education system. An important provision was six years of free education in Malay schools for Brunei children aged 6-14 years.

In 1959, the Brunei government commissioned two education consultants Aminuddin Baki and Paul Chang, to conduct a systematic and comprehensive review on the development and progress of education in Brunei. It resulted in a series of recommendations for change in the education system. In 1970, an education commission was set up with the mandate to evaluate the 1962 Aminuddin Baki and Paul Chang Report, and formulate policies and plans to raise education standards in Brunei. The commission came up with the 1972 Education Commission Report which was approved as a document. The report became the focal point for future system-wide education reforms. Among its provisions was the extension of free education from six years to nine years in all Brunei schools: six years of primary education, followed by another three years of lower secondary education. Ten years later, in 1982, a review committee was appointed to evaluate the education provisions in the 1972 Education Commission Report.

Brunei achieved full independence in January 1984. The historic event provided the impetus for the acceleration of reforms and development in all aspects of education. In an effort to streamline the Malay medium and English medium schooling systems, and to ensure that learners attain a high level of proficiency in both Malay and English, the Bilingual Education Policy was formulated in 1984 and implemented in 1985. With its implementation, all government schools followed a single system with a common national curriculum from pre-school until pre-university. The policy was later extended to private schools (except International Schools) in 1992.

In 1993, the 9-Year Education Policy was replaced with the 12-Year Education Policy. Every student was provided with 12 years of education: seven years in pre-school and primary, three years in lower secondary, and two years in upper secondary or vocational/technical education. In 2003, the new Education Order was inaugurated. It aimed to achieve a status of an effective, efficient and equitable system of education that was both consonant with the national philosophy of Malay Islamic Monarchy or Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB), as well as the needs of a modern, technological and ICT era. In 2007, the Compulsory Education Order 2007 was enacted. The order mandated that every Brunei child residing in this country “above the age of six years who has not yet attained the age of 15 years” receives compulsory education for at least nine years.
In 1997, the Inclusive Education Policy was implemented. It makes provision for pupils with special educational needs to attend mainstream schools. These pupils are assisted and guided by Special Education Needs Assistants (SENA), previously known as Learning Assistant Teachers (LAT) who worked in close partnership with their class teachers.
Education in Brunei has come a long way since 1912, with the onset of formal education. The success of educational policy changes through those years was seen in Brunei’s progressive improvements in its literacy rates. In 1971, it was 69%. It progressively increased to 80.3% in 1981, 89.2% in 1991, and 94.7% in 2001.

2.2 Structure of the Education System

The first school in Brunei was a Malay medium primary school, which was established in 1912. This was followed by the building of similar schools in other parts of the country. In 1916, the first Chinese vernacular school was established followed by the establishment of the first non-government English medium primary school in 1931 in Seria. By the time the Second World War broke out in 1941, there were 32 primary schools, comprising a mixture of Malay, Chinese and English vernacular types.

Before the War, only primary education was available in Brunei. There were no secondary schools. With the establishment of the Education Department by the government in 1951, the first government preparatory school that taught in both Malay as well as English medium was set up in 1952. English medium preparatory pupils, who graduated in 1953, were able to proceed to secondary education with the establishment of the first English medium secondary school the same year. Secondary education in the Malay medium was not available in the country then. It was only in 1966 that Malay medium secondary education became available in Brunei, with the establishment of the first Malay secondary school or Sekolah Menengah Melayu Pertama (SMMP).

The First National Development Plan (1954-1959) laid the foundation for the basic structure of the education system in Brunei. The education pattern was 6-3-2. It represented six years of primary education, three years of lower secondary and two years of upper secondary. The 1972 Education Commission Report provided the basis for initiating further changes and development of the structure. With the adoption of the report in 1979, pre-school became compulsory for all children at the age of five years before they could enrol in Primary 1. When the Bilingual Education Policy was implemented in 1985, a more comprehensive education pattern of 7-3-2-2 evolved. Education provision was made for seven years at primary level (including pre-school); three years at lower secondary; two years at upper secondary; and two years at pre-university, post-secondary training, or vocational/technical education. Several higher educational institutions were established to provide for post-secondary and tertiary education. They are University of Brunei Darussalam (UBD) in 1985, Institute of Technology Brunei (ITB) in 1986, technical and engineering Colleges, vocational schools, and Pengiran Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah College of Nursing in 1986. To meet the ever increasing demand for vocational/technical and higher education, new institutions were established, for example Wasan Vocational School in 2005, and University of Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic (UNISSA) in 2007. The establishment of a polytechnic is also in the pipeline.

To ensure that pupils progressed smoothly through the different levels in the mainstream schooling, and to lower attrition rate, criteria for pupil retention were set up. In the early 1960s, retention of pupils was based on performance in school and public examinations. Those who failed could repeat only once at each level, for all levels of schooling. However, a more restricted new ruling on retention was later introduced in 1969, whereby pupils were allowed to repeat only once at specific levels: Primary 4 and 6 (Malay stream), English Preparatory 3 (English stream), Secondary 3 and 5, and Upper 6. In 1976, the criteria were extended to include school attendance, whereby pupils with less than 85% attendance were not allowed to sit for public examinations. In an effort to encourage pupils to stay longer in the schooling system, at least up to upper secondary (to reduce attrition rate), the Ministry of Education introduced the Extended Secondary Programme or Program Menengah Lanjutan in 1989. In this programme, lower secondary students who obtained Grades 1 and 2 in their Brunei Junior Certificate of Education (BJCE) examination could proceed to upper secondary and sit for the Brunei Cambridge GCE ‘O’ Level (BC GCE `O’) examination after two years. However, those who obtained Grade 3 in the BJCE examination were given an extra year (three years) to prepare for the same public examination. For the latter group of students, the education pattern was modified to 7-3-3-2. Unfortunately, the intentions of the Extended Secondary Programme were not fully realised, nor was the programme well received. It was later phased out and replaced with the Brunei Cambridge GCE `N’ Level (BC GCE `N’) programme in 1996. With the institutionalisation of the BC GCE `N’, the education pattern was further differentiated into 7-3-2-1-2: seven years of preschool and primary, three years of lower secondary, two years of upper secondary BC GCE ‘N’, and another one year of upper secondary leading to BC GCE ‘O’. However, after eight years of implementation, and upon evaluation, the ‘N’ level too was found unsuitable for Brunei’s context, and was withdrawn in 2005.

At the lower secondary level, an early intervention programme that enabled students to proceed directly through the vocational/technical route, instead of the mainstream schooling, was implemented in 2005. The Lower Secondary Level ll programme catered to a minority group of students who were expected to benefit from early vocational/technical training. These “practically-oriented” students were channelled to the 2-year programme known as Program Menengah Vocational (PMV). It consists of six months in the preliminary Stage 1, and 18 months in Stage 2, and led to either the National Vocational Certificate (NVC) or the National Technical Certificate 3 (NTC3).
When formal schools were first established, pupils tended to leave the schooling system early to look for jobs. During that period, the highest level of schooling was only primary, for example Primary 5 in 1938 and Primary 6 in the 1950s. However, the situation improved in the 1960s and 1970s, whereby most of the school leavers completed their Form 3 examination (either Lower Certificate of Examination or Brunei Junior Certificate of Education). In the 1980s and 1990s, many school leavers completed their upper secondary education. The fact that pupils were staying longer in the schooling system was largely attributed to the ministry’s persistent effort to improve and develop its education system so that pupils were encouraged to stay longer in the schooling system, and parents became more aware of the importance of education.

2.3 Curriculum

In the early 20th Century, schools in Brunei Darussalam were established with the aim to provide all Brunei citizens with the opportunities to learn and become literate. The focus of education was to provide knowledge and the basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic (3Rs) besides general knowledge in subjects such as Geography, Health Science, Physical Education, Handicraft and Agriculture. The curriculum and text books used were mainly from Malaysia and Singapore.

Pre-school education which was introduced in 1979 was made compulsory for 5-year old children. The curriculum at this level was more focussed on the basic skills of 3Rs, civics, basic Islamic Religious Knowledge, physical movement, singing, and creativity development.

After independence, the curriculum from lower primary to lower secondary was more general in nature. All subjects at the pre-school and lower primary (up to Primary 3) were taught in Bahasa Melayu except the subject English Language. The medium of instruction for the subject Mathematics at lower primary (Primary 1 to Primary 3), however, has been changed to English beginning 2008. At upper primary level, all subjects were taught in English except the subjects Bahasa Melayu, Islamic Religious Knowledge, Physical Education, Art and History. Prior to 1995, the medium of instruction for those subjects was English.

In the following years, changes in the school curriculum were focussed on the needs of the country, especially in producing human resource who have the capabilities and skills in areas such as science and technology. Rapid advancement in science and technology has brought about an awareness of the importance of science and mathematics education at all levels of schooling. Science became a compulsory subject in 1988 at secondary level. In 1992, Science was upgraded to the status of a subject on its own in upper primary. With the implementation of SPN21 in 2009, this status will be extended to lower primary.

New subjects such as Computer Studies and Design & Technology were introduced at the secondary level in 1993 and 2002 respectively. This is in line with the global importance and development of ICT. The importance of IT was further emphasised through the teaching and learning of ICT across the curriculum.

A further effort to improve its national education system, and to ensure that it is in line with the Education Policy of providing 12 years of education to all Brunei citizens, various programmes and projects were implemented. These included the introduction of the following:

The Extended Secondary Programme (Program Menengah Lanjutan) in 1989 (which was later replaced by BC GCE `N’ level programme);
The Technical Programme in 1989, which incorporated technical subjects into the secondary school curriculum;
The Special Educational Needs Programme in 1994;
The BC GCE ‘N’ Level Programme in 1997 was discontinued in 2005 and replaced by the Upper Secondary Vocational Programme; and
The Lower Secondary Level II Programme in 1997 was replaced by the Secondary Vocational Programme or Program Menengah Vokesional in 2008.

Other value-added projects introduced included the project Reading Language Acquisition (RELA) in 1989, the thinking skills programme Cognitive Research Trust (CoRT) in 1993/2008, Learning Programme Styles (LEAPS) in 1994, Specialist Mathematics and Science Teachers Project for Primary Schools (1994), and Project Active Mathematics in Classroom (AMIC) in 2004.
The provision for students with special educational needs was met through the implementation of the Inclusive Education Policy (1997). This enables students with special educational needs to attend their schooling in the normal school environment with special guidance from Learning Assistant Teachers (LAT) now known as Special Education Needs Assistants (SENA).

2.4 Assessment and Qualifications

The Department of Education was established in 1951. All public examinations were administered by the department. Pupils aged 12 years and below from Malay medium schools who wished to gain acceptance into government English medium schools had to sit for a public entrance examination at Primary 4. If they passed the examination, they would spend another three years at the preparatory level before they could proceed to secondary level.

At lower secondary level, English medium students sat for the Lower Certificate of Education (LCE) examination while Malay medium students sat for their Sijil Rendah Pelajaran (SRP) examination at Secondary 3. Both public examinations were set by the Malaysian Examination Board. In 1973, LCE was replaced by the Brunei Junior Certificate of Education (BJCE), a local public examination which was fully administered and accredited by the Brunei’s Department of Education, so that it was aligned to the local curriculum.

At Secondary 5 and Upper 6, English medium students sat for the Malaysia Certificate of Education (MCE) and Higher School Certificate (HSC) examinations respectively, while Malay medium students sat for their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) examinations respectively. Other examinations were administered by the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), London Chamber of Commerce, and City and Guilds.

In 1974, the Brunei Examination Board was established within the structure of the Department of Education. It was mandated to administer all public examinations. In 1976, the Board of Examination conducted all local examinations such as the entrance examination to preparatory school, the Primary Certificate of Education (PCE), Brunei Junior Certificate of Education (BJCE) and Brunei Cambridge GCE `O’ and `A’ Levels (BC GCE ‘O’ and ‘A’).
After independence (1984), the Brunei Examination Board introduced public examinations at key levels. The public examination for entrance to Primary 4, at preparatory school was abolished. At Primary 6, pupils sat for the Primary Certificate of Education (PCE) which was later replaced by the Primary School Assessment or Penilaian Sijil Rendah (PSR) in 2002. Students who passed the PCE examination will proceed to lower secondary level. In 1987, the Brunei Examination Board was upgraded to that of the Department of Examination within the organisational structure of the Ministry of Education. In 1997, the Lower Secondary Assessment or Penilaian Menengah Bawah (PMB) replaced the BJCE. At the end of upper secondary, students sat for the BC GCE ‘O’ Level examination. Students who obtained the required number of `O’ levels can either further their studies in BC GCE ‘A’ Level, or enrol into vocational/technical institutions, the teacher training colleges, or seek employment.

2.5 Teaching Staff

In the early 1950s, the qualifications of local teachers were only at Primary 4. The introduction of new subjects, increase in the number of students each year, and the short supply of qualified local teachers, were some of the reasons leading to the recruitment of foreign teachers. Most of the foreign teachers were recruited from countries such as Malaysia, the United Kingdom, the Indian sub-continent, Australia and New Zealand. In the 1950s and early 1960s, the Brunei Government also sent locals to be trained as teachers mainly at teacher training colleges in Malaysia, located at Tanjong Malim in Perak, Batu Lintang in Sarawak and Malacca.

In an effort to increase the number of local teachers, the Teacher Training Centre was established in Brunei in 1956. However, there was still a critical shortage of teachers, especially in subjects such as English Language, Mathematics, Science, Home Crafts and Physical Training. Therefore, in 1963, the centre made provision for the training of teachers for English medium subjects. In 1985, the Teacher Training Centre was upgraded and renamed as Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Teachers’ College. It provided a variety of courses for preschool, primary and secondary levels.

In the 1960s and early 1970s, the qualifications of most local teachers were either LCE or Cambridge School Certificate. Later, the academic requirements were gradually changed to that of BC GCE ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels. In 1987, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Teachers’ College was renamed as Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Education (SHBIE) and was incorporated into UBD. Since then, various courses at certificate, diploma and degree levels for pre-service and in-service teachers have been offered. As a result, the proportion of local teachers holding degrees has increased significantly over the years.

2.6 Statistics

In 1912, there were only 53 male pupils in the first government Malay vernacular school. With the rapid development of education, the number of students in government schools has reached 68,706 in 2007 from preschools to Form 6. At the same time, the number of students who enrolled into vocational and technical institutions, and other higher educational institutions has also increased as the result of the successful implementation of the 12 Years Education Policy (Table 1).

The development of vocational and technical education has seen some improvements over the years. In 1971, the enrolment was 111 students with 19 teaching staff while in 2007, it rose to 2551 students with 470 teaching staff.

To accommodate the growing number of students, more schools and colleges, vocational and technical institutions, and higher educational institutions were built (Table 1). These are:

· Form Sixth Centre (1974, now known as Duli Pengiran Muda Al-Muhtadee Billah College)
· Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College (in 1971, it was known as Maktab Melayu Paduka Seri

Begawan Sultan – MMPSBS)
· Institute Technology Brunei – ITB (1986)
· Universiti Brunei Darussalam – UBD (1985)
· Pengiran Anak Puteri Hajah Rashidah Nursing College (1986)
· Sports School (2003)
· Wasan Vocational School (2005)
· Business School (2005)
· Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University –UNISSA (2007)

2.7 Organisational Structure

The establishment of the Department of Education in 1951 was the starting point for the development of Brunei’s organisational structure for education. The department was headed by the British Resident and assisted by a Superintendent of Malay Education, a School Inspector, a Visiting Teacher and a School Supervisor. With the declaration of the Brunei Constitution in 1959, all the administration of the internal affairs, including education, was put directly under the charge of His Majesty Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III. However, the Department of Education was still headed by a Director who was a British officer.

In 1970, the Education Advisory Commission was formed to review the education planning and development and come up with proposals for improving the education in Negara Brunei Darussalam. In 1974, based on the recommendations put forth in 1972 Education Commission Report, the Inspectorate Unit, Examination Board and Education Council were formed within the administrative structure of the Department of Education. In 1976, the first local Malay became the Director of Education. In 1980, three new sections were added to the department. These were the Administration and Services Section, Educational Planning and Development Section, and the School and College Section.

After independence, the Department of Education came under the Ministry of Education and Health, which was headed by a Minister. New sections or units, such as the Curriculum Development, Extra Curricular Activities, Publication Unit, Secondary Section, Planning and Information Unit, and Primary Section, were added to the department. In 1987, some units or sections were upgraded to departments. These include the Department of Curriculum Development, the Department of Schools, the Department of Examination, the Department of Schools Inspectorate, the Department of Administration and Services and the Department of Planning Development and Research.

In 1989, the Ministry of Education and Health were split into the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health. The latest change in the organisational structure was the localisation of the whole education system in terms of the school curriculum, certification and text books. To ensure the smooth implementation and monitoring of educational changes and to achieve the aspiration and educational aims of the nation, new bodies and departments were formed. These include the:

· National Qualifications Accreditation Council in 1990
· Brunei Darussalam Technical and Vocational Educational Council – BDTVEC in 1991
· Department of Technical Education in 1993
· Special Education Unit in 1993
· Department of Co-Curriculum Education in 1995
· National Education Council in 1999
· The Science, Technology and Environment Partnership (STEP) Centre in 1999
· Department of Information and Communication Technology in 2001

In order to meet the challenges of the 21st Century, some educational services were upgraded. At the same time, new educational services were also developed, for example, the ICT programmes, which focus on the provision of e-education (Edunet, E-learning, Education Information, Digital Library and Human Capacity Building). In order to carry out the various ICT programmes both at the ministry as well as at the school levels, the Department of Information and Communication Technology was formed in 2001.

Introduction of SPN-21

His Majesty has always been concerned about the quality of education received by His subjects. This was highlighted in His Majesty’s Titah:

“The National Education should provide a dynamic, forward looking educational programme to provide knowledge and skills required by industry and services without ignoring values”.

( National Day, 23rd February 2003)

Being a nation with a small population, education plays a critical role in preparing students to become successful and responsible citizens who can contribute to the future social and economic progress of the community and the country. We have already entered the 21st Century and new challenges are always emerging. To face these challenges, the Ministry of Education needs to continually review and fine tune its education system to ensure that it remains relevant at all times.

In the early years of this millennium, the Ministry of Education reviewed the education system and developed plans for improvement. At the end of 2005, with the reshuffling of the Cabinet, followed immediately by the return of the administration of religious education to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Education refocused its attention to general, technical and higher education and considered them as its core business.

Three steps were taken:

· The restructuring of the Ministry of Education to make the organisation more efficient and effective (Figure 1).

· The development of the Ministry of Education Strategic Plan 2007-2011 (Figure 2) which outlined the direction in which the Ministry of Education would pursue during the 5-year period, particularly in its endeavour to develop the fullest potential of a child through the provision of high quality education.

· The formation of the Review Committee on the National Education System with the mandate to review and make improvements to the current system (Appendices 1a and 1b).

The Review Committee recommended that the present education system be improved and finetuned, and aligned with the Ministry of Education Strategic Plan 2007-2011. To differentiate from the current system, the new education system was named the “National Education System for the 21st Century” or “Sistem Pendidikan Negara Abad ke-21”, in short, SPN 21. It was announced in His Majesty’s Titah during the 2007 Teachers’ Day and more Titah during His Majesty’s 62nd birthday in July 2008.