| Azlan Othman |
EFFORTS are in place to ensure Youth Development Centre (PPB) students are marketable and employable.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports YB Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin said the ministry has implemented numerous programmes, some of which are with strategic partners.
Among these include the signing of 38 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with private companies to provide training skills to the students.
“Career roadshow programmes are also being carried out with the help of the private sector to provide the PPB students with job opportunities. There is also a plan to allow youths to operate Ramadhan stalls at the Youth Centre in the capital to earn extra income,” the minister said.
Short courses on photography, photo editing, beads making, handicraft making, and others are also being offered to the students, the minister said in responding to Legislative Council (LegCo) member YB Pehin Orang Kaya Pendikar Alam Dato Paduka Seri Haji Hasrin bin Dato Paduka Haji Sabtu’s query.
“No (prerequisite) qualifications are needed. They only have to know how to read, write and perform calculations. What is crucial is for them to be marketable and show willingness to enrol in those courses,” the minister said.
On making these students marketable and have them further their studies, a question raised by LegCo member YB Khairunnisa bin Haji Ash’ari, the minister said that the PPB must obtain proper accreditations. Currently the centre has the City and Guilds accreditation, which was given in 2015.
“The government is spending over $10,000 annually to get such accreditations. The question is whether (the courses) have been accredited with other ministries. The matter is in the process of approval by the Brunei Darussalam National Accreditation Council (BDNAC) and I was informed that it is in the final phase. It would enable them to be more marketable and help their further studies,” the minister noted.
He also revealed that there were 15 youths initially in the PPB’s padi planting project, however, only eight remain now. They will have their first harvest this year, since the project began in 2015.
“The students have encountered many problems (in the project), but I hope they will persevere and continue. It is not easy but I encourage the youths to get out of their comfort zones and engage in farming,” the minister concluded.