| Izah Azahari |
THE academic qualification enhancement of non-graduate teachers is done through the In-Service Training Scheme under the Public Service Department of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), said the Minister of Education, YB Dato Paduka Awang Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman.
He was responding to a query on the management and planning of human resources in terms of aiding the capacity building and enhancement of skills and qualifications of non-graduate teachers as well as the Asean Qualification Reference Framework (AQRF) by Legislative Council (LegCo) member, YB Iswandy bin Ahmad at the 14th LegCo session yesterday.
YB Dato Paduka Awang Haji Hamzah said 325 officers and staff of the ministry participated in the 2014-2018 academic session that includes all levels from diploma until Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
YB Iswandy said non-graduate teachers comprise assistant teachers and teachers who only have diploma or government school certificate qualifications. The Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) offer ‘blended learning’, and the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Education in UBD has also prepared Master of Teaching as well as Master of Education.
To qualify for the courses, a Bachelor’s degree is required as well as an allocation to finance the studies.
The minister said $775,000 was allocated to the Ministry of Education (MoE) to enhance human resource skills through programmes such as the Teachers Professional Development Programme under the Brunei Darussalam Teacher Academy (BDTA) for the year 2018-2019.
Meanwhile, YB Iswandy also spoke on AQRF which recognises education and technical qualifications among Asean member states to facilitate the free movement of labour in the Asean region which he said local workers can use as an opportunity to gain experience in other Asean member states.
Speaking on the AQRF, YB Dato Paduka Awang Haji Hamzah said it was endorsed by the Asean Economic Ministers in August 2014, the Asean Education Ministers (ASED) on September 2014, and the Asean Labour Ministers through the referendum from November 2014 to May 2015.
The AQRF committee was also established and mandated to implement the AQRF among Asean member states through activity and strategic action planning.
YB Dato Paduka Awang Haji Hamzah said it may give locals the opportunity to broaden their work experience in Asean member states, but may also allow workers from the region to gain work experience in Brunei, increasing the competition for work as a whole.