| Azlan Othman |
“MANY challenges are faced by the school, including ensuring the presence of parents or guardians in the discussion sessions. If we can overcome the problem of attendance, then we’ll certainly more likely to see improvements in the students’ results,” said Rimba Secondary School Principal Haji Malai Shah Eran bin Syed Haji Yussof Al-Idrus.
He made these comments at the school’s recent Brunei-Cambridge (BC) GCE ‘O’ Level 2018 exam graduation and awards ceremony.
Fifty students received prizes in various categories during the ceremony, such as the progressive award, exemplary student award, and well-rounded student of excellent character award. Outstanding teachers were also honoured.
Chief guest Head of Literacy and Numeracy Coaching Programme and Head of Cluster 2 at the Ministry of Education Haji Metussin bin Haji Jais was present at the graduation ceremony.
Rimba Secondary School always ensures that special programmes are run to prepare its students for their BC GCE ‘O’ Level examination.
The school also strives to involve the students’ parents and guardians in their studies.
It does so by running parent/guardian consultation programmes with their children, such as the parents meeting programme. These sessions are conducted in a group or individual basis, with parents being briefed on their children’s progress, for example their grades in their half-year examination and qualifying test.
The principal said parents and guardians are invited to parenting workshops focussed on the importance of attendance at school.
“These are among the school’s efforts to increase the involvement of parents and guardians in their children’s academic success,” he said.
Haji Malai Shah Eran added that the school has outlined the target of achieving 51 per cent passes in the GCE ‘O’ Level exam last year compared to the previous year (2017).
“It is not just our aim to be among the top 10 secondary schools in the country, but to gain recognition from the Ministry of Education as well,” he said.
“Although many efforts and programmes have been implemented, our 2018 GCE ‘O’ Level exam results did not meet our targets, but has actually worsened from the year before.
“Students, parents and guardians need to continue to work hard, and look for weaknesses to improve and to self reflect to achieve Rimba Secondary School’s target of becoming a top 10 school.”
He said at present, the school in collaboration with the Cluster 4 team of the Department of Schools is helping to update all the strategic programmes to achieve the school’s targets.