BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THERE are 10 qualities included under the “PAKSI” abbreviation that should be possessed by any excellent school leader, the Minister of Education said.

These qualities were ‘Peka’ (sensitive), ‘Pemedulian’ (caring), ‘Amanah’ (responsibility), ‘Akauntibiliti’ (accountability), ‘Komitmen’ (commitment), ‘Khalifah’ (ruler), ‘Status’, ‘Semangat’ (enthusiasm), ‘Instruksional’ (instructional) and ‘Introspeksi’ (introspection).

According to the education minister, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar Hj Apong, school leaders had to be caring and sensitive towards all learning and teaching in their school, as well as the school environment and the school community.

“By doing so, you will be able to detect and enhance every student’s potential, and not just focus on the students who have high academic achievements but also those who need help.

“Being a caring leader with good interpersonal skills would also help ensure that you interact and communicate effectively with everyone in the school, and to motivate school staff in fostering teamwork and a cultural ‘sense of belonging’ within the school.”

The minister also said that school leaders need to adopt an attitude of trust and responsibility, to ensure that the schools they lead play their roles as agents of socialisation which can encourage positive values, and be able to produce citizens who are religious, skilled and competitive, who will be assets to nation-building, and who will appreciate and practise the values of the national philosophy, the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB).

He mentioned that school leaders needed to be able to spur the school citizens (teachers and students) to move as a team, by being broad-minded, far-minded and wise in planning, designing and executing strategies to achieve school objectives.

The minister urged school leaders to be actively involved in community activities in their own villages, so that they would be able to attract the interest of the surrounding community (including parents) towards contributing and working equally towards the progress of their schools.

“There’s also no doubt that school leaders face academic and disciplinary problems of students, as well as challenges posed by parents and the community. Therefore, leaders need to remind themselves to keep up a fighting spirit and to always think positive, in order to maintain the sustainability of the achievements and excellence of the school,” YB Pehin Dato Hj Abu Bakar advised.

The minister emphasised that it was essential for school leaders to self-reflect or self-evaluate, in order to improve themselves.

He also pointed out that the ministry has implemented a number of local and international leadership training programmes over the years – one of which is the School Leadership Programme (SLP) which was launched in conjunction with Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), which he said has acted as a platform for the school leaders to network more extensively among their peers.

More than 170 leaders of government schools and 22 leaders of private schools have been trained under the SLP, he said.

“It is fair and it is the responsibility of each school leader, therefore, to give full commitment to undertake the responsibilities and duties entrusted to him or her,” the education minister said.

“I recommend that school leaders continue to practise the knowledge and skills of leadership, including those gained from the MoE leadership programmes, during the implementation of their daily tasks,” he added.

The Brunei Times