BRUNEI-MUARA

BRUNEI has a new multi-million dollar college for pre-university students situated on Jalan Mulaut in Mukim Sengkurong to address overcrowding at the Katok Sixth Form Centre (PTE Katok) in Gadong.

The first academic session at the Sengkurong Sixth Form Centre (PTE Sengkurong) saw the enrolment of 449 Upper Six students from Mukim Gadong, Mukim Sengkurong, Mukim Kilanas, Mukim Lumapas in Brunei-Muara as well as Kg Kupang and Kg Maraburong in Tutong.

Pupils were transferred from PTE Katok with the remaining Lower Six students scheduled to move to the $28.2 million PTE Sengkurong in March.

Acting Education Minister Dato Seri Setia Hj Yussof Hj Ismail also conducted a working visit to PTE Sengkurong yesterday to take a closer look at the school that was built to accommodate up to 1,500 students.

Sprawled over 16.58 acres of land, the new sixth form centre consists of 50 lecture rooms and 10 special rooms for Design and Technology, Art and Design as well as Food Studies subjects.

Biology, Chemistry and Physics subjects will be taught in 18 science laboratories, while 18 more lecture rooms have been allocated for Accounting, Economics, Business Studies, History, Geography, Travel and Tourism, Sociology and Psychology subjects.

PTE Sengkurong is also equipped with facilities such as a multipurpose hall, multimedia hall, lecture hall, students centre, library, and surau.

Dato Hj Yussof said the modern infrastructure of the sixth form centre is in line with the Ministry of Education’s National Education System for the 21st Century (SPN21) to produce creative, innovative and highly-skilled students towards achieving the National Vision 2035.

Teaching staff at the college comprise 99 teachers, 50 per cent of whom were graduate degree holders qualified to teach A Level subjects.

Construction of PTE Sengkurong began in September 2011 under the National Development Plan for 2007 to 2012, and was completed in January 2013. The new sixth form centre was built by Metrobina and Partners Sdn Bhd, while Arkitek Opfis was appointed as the project consultant.

PTE Sengkurong was set up in response to the growing number of A Level students throughout the country.

Also present yesterday were Permanent Secretary of Core Education, Dr Hj Junaidi Hj Abd Rahman; Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary of Core Education Hj Abd Rahim Derus; Director-general of Education Pg Hjh Sarah Pg Hj Kamaluddin; and Acting Director of Schools Department Hj Abd Rahman Nawi.

The delegation’s working visit included a tour of the campus led by PTE Sengkurong Head Hjh Rosni Hj Mohd Amin @ Hjh Siti Nur’ain.

The Brunei Times