AS A co-champion for the Education Strategy under Brunei Vision 2035, the Ministry of Education (MoE) is driven to prepare the youth for employment and achievement in a world that is increasingly competitive and knowledge-based.
The initiatives undertaken by the ministry are aimed at fulfilling the nation’s goal in producing well-educated and highly skilled people as measured by the highest international standards.
Accordingly, the MoE has identified the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) as one of the tools to measure the performance of students in Brunei over time and compare them with their counterparts in other countries and economies. International benchmarks can show what is truly possible in education, and they can be a healthy driver for reform efforts.
PISA is an international survey conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that aims to explore the extent to which students at the end of compulsory education can apply their knowledge to real-life situations and be equipped for full participation in society.
PISA takes place every three years since 2000, and to date, more than 70 economies worldwide have participated in the assessment.
Previous studies have found that there is a strong correlation between high ranking in PISA and high economic performance of countries. In this way, researchers have concluded that PISA can be used as one indicator of education systems and how well the systems are preparing students for the global knowledge economy of the 21st Century.
During the signing of agreement with OECD. Signing for Brunei Darussalam was Dr Azman bin Ahmad (Left), Deputy Permanent Secretary (Higher Education) at the Ministry of Education, whilst OECD was represented by Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills, and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General at the OECD in Paris. – MOE
In anticipation of Brunei’s first-time participation in PISA in 2018, the MoE has initiated some preliminary works as early as 2014 with the setup of a PISA Task Force at the ministry level, which oversees the coordination and implementation of PISA in Brunei.
In line with these preparations, the MoE has implemented several strategic and highly focused initiatives such as the Primary Education Initiatives, Secondary Education Initiatives, Literacy and Numeracy Standards, Brunei Teacher Standards and the 21st Century Teaching and Learning Designs.
The success of these initiatives depends highly on a concerted effort between various departments within the MoE, schools, teachers, parents and the community.
The realisation of any educational goal requires a whole of nation approach where the costs of an activity or programme are to be equally shared and the desired outcomes are to benefit all.
Brunei Darussalam’s participation in PISA 2018 was made official with the signing of the agreement with OECD, which took place at the OECD Headquarters in Paris during the 41st PISA Governing Board Meeting on June 14, 2016.
Signing for Brunei Darussalam was Dr Azman bin Ahmad, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Higher Education) at the MoE, whilst OECD was represented by Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills, and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General at the OECD in Paris.
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