| Daniel Lim |
AS PART of the School Twinning Programme (STP) between Sayyidina Ali Secondary School (SMSA) of Kuala Belait and Temasek Junior College (TJC) of Singapore, a group comprising students and teachers from both institutes visited Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam, Belait District Branch on Tuesday.
Among the group were 12 Integrated Programme 3 (Singaporean equivalent of Secondary Level Year 9) students from TJC led by the college’s Vice Principal Mark Chan, along with TJC Head of Department of Engagement and Partnership Kwan Kah Wai and TJC teacher Sharifah Shahidah Alkaff.
The SMSA delegation, meanwhile, comprised 20 Lower Sixth Form students accompanied by the school’s Deputy Principal (Administration) Mohd Shamry bin Haji Mohd Sani, School Operation Manager Haji Ja’afar Ahmad, STP Coordinator Joanne Lee Siew Peng, SMSA Counsellor Zaimah binti Abdullah and Head of Students Council Ahmad Nashihin bin Salim.
The group was welcomed to Pusat Ehsan by Belait District Branch Manager of Pusat Ehsan Hamimah binti Haji Sapar along with the centre’s staff and students.
The visit was conducted to not only help engage the students in interacting with individuals with special needs, but also to highlight the need of inclusion and empathy towards the aforementioned individuals to make them feel at ease.
The visit was held to observe the centre’s special needs students as well as to interact with them in meaningful ways through activities. A cupcake decoration and a sing-and-dance were among the activities carried out to foster closer bond between the students from both institutes and Pusat Ehsan.
Mark Chan said the exchange programme presented a unique opportunity for students to exchange ideas and cultures between the two countries.
He said, “Most of all, the programme is a fun experience for all students, and I hope they will find the visit meaningful, as well as being able to share these experiences with friends and families back home.”
Asked on what experiences he would personally take back to Singapore, Mark Chan said he would take “back the message to TJC students and teachers that while Brunei and Singapore are relatively similar to one another, there is still so much to learn from each other as each country has a diverse culture and education system, with the hope that we will be able to work on each other’s strengths and be progressive at the same time”.
The students who arrived in Brunei on July 23 will be in the country until tomorrow as part of the STP, an exchange programme held for the first time between the two institutes.
During their time in Brunei, the TJC students will learn various aspects of Brunei with regard to culture, landmarks and the education system, while fostering a closer relationship with Bruneian students as they participate in classes and lessons as well as activities.