| Syazwani Hj Rosli |
THE Department of Co-Curriculum Education of the Ministry of Education, through its Akli Unit, yesterday held a ceremony to hand over capital to the finalists of the 4th Bigstart Competition 2016 to be held in September.
The Bigstart Competition is an entrepreneurial project that aims towards expanding students’ creativity in project planning and enriching specific skills and innovation needed in establishing social and commercial activities.
The ceremony was held at the Conference Room of Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Secondary School in Mentiri.
Present as the guest of honour was Hajah Hajidah binti Haji Abdul Wahab, the Senior Education Officer in her capacity as the Head of Akli Unit and as the personal representative of the Director of Co-Curriculum Education, Pengiran Suhaimi bin Pengiran Haji Bakar.
In her welcoming remarks, the school’s Principal Cikgu Dayangku Hajah Norhasima binti Pengiran Haji Hassan said five schools out of the 14 that participated in this competition have been selected to move into the finals.
Group photo of the participants. – PHOTOS: SYAZWANI HJ ROSLI
Abdul Aziz Mustaqim bin Haji Ahmad from Sultan Sharif Ali Secondary School
According to her, the five finalists have presented their proposals based on the theme of the competition ‘The Cube Box – To Start With’ on May 10 and 11, and they will be required to present their progress report every four weeks and the full report and a 60-second video prior to the end of the final competition.
She also said that talks and workshops on entrepreneurship in preparing the business proposal have been provided for the students including several lecturers by the Business School and Politeknik Brunei.
Hajah Hajidah, in her speech, highlighted that the competition is an effort to uphold SPN21 by exposing students to the field of entrepreneurship.
She added that such competition helps in providing opportunities for the participating students to interact and socialise in a harmonious atmosphere in order to build character and positive traits and friendships.
“Department of Co-Curriculum Education wishes to identify and nurture students having the potential to start their own businesses, to act on productive ideas borne through discussions and workshops,” she continued.
“By working in groups, students are exposed to working as a cohesive group, uniting ideas to address areas of mutual interest. By reaching consensus and at times arguing, the group will later build its own character as well as cultivate positive interpersonal qualities.”
The ceremony later saw the presentation of the capital worth B$200 to the five selected finalists including Masin Secondary School, Berakas Secondary School, Sultan Sharif Ali Secondary School, Sports School and Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Secondary School, by the guest of honour.
Abdul Aziz Mustaqim bin Haji Ahmad of Sultan Sharif Ali Secondary School, representing their company Aicha’s Closet, told the Bulletin that for the competition, his group has decided to focus their business on selling shawls and stick pins in collaboration with a local entrepreneur.
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