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Education Minister looks closer at SEAMEO VOCTECH Regional Centre
 
   
The SEAMEO VOCTECH Regional Centre is established to strengthen the vocational technical education and training, or VTET systems for short, in South East Asian Ministers of Education Organisation or SEAMEO member countries by enhancing capabilities through collaborative efforts incorporating research and development, programme initiatives, networks, partnerships and information services, thereby contributing to the development of a world-class workforce.		  
 
The Minister of Education, Pehin Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Rahman, Tuesday visited the centre located in Gadong to have a closer look into the institution. SEAMEO VOCTECH is one of the 16 Southeast Asia Ministers of Education Organisation Centres in the region. The role is to strengthen and upgrade human resources development of Southeast Asian training participants, in the field of vocational and technical education and training.
 		    
    The main activities are conducting training programmes at the centre or in institutions in Southeast Asia countries. The centre has been awarded the Certificate of Standard Quality Management System or the ISO 9001:2000. The present big project is an on-going MOE international computer driving license course, for 1,500 teachers in a 5-year period till 2009.  
 

Institutes of Higher Learning always active in research consistent with ICT
 
 
As a long established organisation which has a large number of membership, the Association of Southeast Asian Institutes of Higher Learning, or ASAIHL for short, must take a more proactive initiative towards broadening the scope of its activities pertaining to higher education. The Deputy Minister of Education made the call at the opening of the 2005 ASAIHL Seminar and the Second Science Technology Week and the launch of the journal, Scientia Bruneiana.
 		    
    Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Doctor Haji Mohammad said the ASAIHL theme; “Development in Computers and Information Communications Technology” is readily welcomed by Brunei Darussalam. He said activities such as the ASAIHL Seminar and its General Conference and the outcome from those gatherings in the form of Seminar and Conference Proceedings have been invaluable  
 

as references for researchers who desire to advance the state of higher education and the higher learning institutions in their own countries. The Deputy Minister, went on to say that, this is especially so for Brunei Darussalam, which has several higher institutions of learning such as the Universiti Brunei Darussalam, the Institute of Technology of Brunei and the Pengiran Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah College of Nursing which are constantly active in carrying studies and researchers, consistent with global development such as in computer studies, ICT, as well as science and technology.
 

  
  The ASAIHL Seminar is being held for three-days during which some 60 papers will be delivered by representatives from UBD as well as universities in Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Japan and Mideast nations such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The papers will be on issues related to the seminar’s theme, “Applications of Computing and Information Technology in Higher Learning”. This will include the effectiveness of “simulation and visualization” which is closely tied to the theory and practical use of computers in learning and the use of electronic access and copyright which is closely tied to electronic systems and intellectual property rights laws on learning materials and reference sources. The Science and Technology Week 2005 aspires to highlight various achievements made by the Science Faculty of UBD to the general public especially students. Through it, it is hoped that elements of creativity and innovation would be instilled among the young generation and which are of paramount importance as the country moves towards further progress and national development.  
 

Home Affairs Minister visits Brunei-Muara District Office
 
 


The Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Dato Paduka Haji Adanan, Tuesday visited the Brunei-Muara District Office in Berakas to have an insight of its management and administration. The Brunei-Muara District Office was established in 1935.
 

  


 

  
 

 

Among the tasks of the Brunei-Muara District Office are to improve the quality of life in the district so as to ensure continuous prosperity and well being of the people and to issue licenses under the Miscellaneous Licenses Act 1978. It also serves as a channel to convey complaints or forward applications, to-coordinate the establishment of Mukim Consultative Councils and their activities as well as to assess and co-ordinate the development needs of the public and the private sector.

  
 

Books launched by Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports serves as a base in management issues

 
  The Strategic Planning Framework Book and the Client Charter Guide Booklet of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports will serve as a base in the management and development of human resources. It is the role of the ministry to create a society of high calibre. The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Retired Major General Pehin Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Mohammad laid the emphasis when he officiated at the launch of the books, Tuesday.
 		    
    The Minister reiterated that the strategic planning framework book will serve as a guide in the development, progress and management of human resources as well as the physical aspect of the ministry for the span of time as indicated. In view of this, he added, all stakeholders or those who are interested in the project should be knowledgeable and understand of the targeted purpose including the amendment of the plan of action. Understanding the objective is a prerequisite because the ministry is the major player in the implementation of the strategic planning.
 		  
 
The Minister, however stressed that even with the provision of good planning the target will not be achieved if it is not managed and implemented efficiently. He added that the bottom-line is the implementation of quick, decisive and sincere judgement based on the regulations enforced.
 		  

 		  
  The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports will continue to move forward in its core management towards the country’s development and progress. The ministry will also implement its strategic planning and the public client charter to further generate the machinery of the ministry in achieving individual excellence at both the ministry level and departments under it.  
 

National Gulingtangan competition for secondary schools and colleges
 
 

 


Fifteen teams from secondary schools and colleges took part in the preliminary round of the National Gulingtangan competition held Tuesday at the Sayyidina Hassan Secondary School in Mukim Kilanas. Gulingtangan is normally played to the accompaniment of six other musical instruments played by 10 people. The instruments are gong dua bandingan, tawak-tawak, gandang labit, rabana, canang tiga and canang satu.
 

  
 

To play the gulingtangan well, one must attained the appropriate skill on how to hit the instrument to produce a melodious sound. The competition aimed to nurture the musical talents of the young and at the same time promoting their interests in traditional folk music. The final of the competition will be held next month.