| Lyna Mohamad |
RELIGIOUS teachers are agents of the community to assist in guiding the direction of the national programmes from time to time, said His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and the Chancellor of Religious Teachers University College of Seri Begawan (KUPU SB).
Delivering a titah at the 7th Convocation Ceremony of KUPU SB at the Plenary Hall of the International Convention Centre in Berakas yesterday, the monarch noted that they also hold a role in rectifying problematic situations based on pure religious knowledge.
Religious knowledge forms the foundation for the nation to ensure welfare and receive blessings, His Majesty said, adding that the most valued blessing for a nation is to always remain safe.
His Majesty further highlighted that it is important for the graduates to be aware that the profession of a teacher is very noble, as teachers can play a significant role in developing the community and the nation.
“In taking up this role, teachers need to possess strong fighting spirit as well as noble ideas that can bring about change. Without such spirit and ideas, change is hard to come by.”
Highlighting excerpts from Surah Hud Verse 117, His Majesty said that KUPU SB and other higher learning institutions need to nurture critical thinking capabilities to ensure that their graduates are able to work for the welfare of the society and the country.
“The nation is very much in need of more beneficial learning disciplines as the purpose of learning is not just acquiring knowledge, but it must contribute to all-round human development.”
Every higher learning institution needs to continuously evaluate its programmes to ensure that its curriculum contents are practical and stay relevant to the current needs – including teaching methods and student development assessment, the monarch said.
In this context, higher learning institutions need to ensure their academic staff possess high professional characteristics so that they will be able to serve more effectively and innovatively, and make a holistic and fair assessment of students’ development, His Majesty added.
Acknowledging KUPU SB’s efforts to produce teaching graduates with identity, the monarch said that the institution is actively strengthening its programmes to enhance the competencies of students. This is good and reasonable, yet methods of assessment need to be streamlined more systematically to ensure that the graduates truly reach the required level of competence, His Majesty added.
“All higher learning institutions need to organise their respective academic programmes and co-curriculum activities to produce holistic and balanced graduates who can excel in spiritual, intellectual, physical, entrepreneurial and community aspects.”
As former students of Arabic schools form the main candidate base of KUPU SB and Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali, the quality of Arabic education also needs to be enhanced, the monarch urged.
“Just like a factory, Arabic schools need to produce quality students and continuously be strengthened. It requires improvising what needs to be improvised or strengthening what is found to be weak until the school can truly become superior and well-known.
“This is not something impossible, but something that can be accomplished with much determination and hard work,” His Majesty said.
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