BRUNEI-MUARA

BANKING and financial institutions are encouraged to work together with the Ministry of Education (MoE) to help fill the industry’s needs, the Minister of Education said.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Awg Abu Bakar Hj Apong said banking and financial institutions can help transform Brunei’s technical education by providing training to students as preparation to enter the industry.

The minister was speaking during a certificate presentation ceremony for BIBD and Takaful Brunei staff who graduated from the Islamic Financial Planner (IFP) and Corporate Credit Risk Programme at the Royal Polo and Riding Club.

YB Pehin Dato (Dr) Hj Awg Abu Bakar said the ministry is committed in nurturing students with 21st century skills by developing their entrepreneurial skills and mindset. He advised students to become “life-long learners with valuable and marketable skills”.

The minister looked forward to producing students who are “independent individuals and well-prepared to enter the job market in such volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environments”.

In his speech, the minister also said that banking and insurance institutions will continuously face challenges in the current “globalised world with rapid changes and technological advancements”.

YB Pehin Dato (Dr) Hj Awg Abu Bakar said continuous professional development of human capital should be considered when banking and insurance institutions develop their strategic plans.

The minister feels assured that BIBD and Takaful Brunei have taken this into their consideration as they have “over 20 years of experience” in the market.

BIBD and Takaful Brunei should create “more innovative and creative products” in facing the growing changes and demands of the market.

The minister said, “BIBD and Takaful Brunei would require a dynamic, knowledgeable, highly-skilled and dedicated workforce”.

After giving his speech, YB Pehin Dato (Dr) Hj Awg Abu Bakar proceeded to present certificates to the graduates of the IFP and Corporate Credit Risk Programme.

Receiving their certificates from the minister were 22 BIBD and nine Takaful Brunei staff who graduated from the IFP, and 20 BIBD employees who completed the Corporate Credit Risk Programme.

The IFP, an eight-month professional qualification programme developed by the Islamic Banking and Finance Institute Malaysia and Financial Planning Association of Malaysia, is a programme specially designed for professionals and executives in the retail segment of the Islamic financial market.

Meanwhile, the Corporate Credit Risk Programme is a three-month programme customised specially for BIBD, and developed by Fitch Learning to enhance the employees’ “analytic skills and credit judgement to better evaluate and structure funding solutions for its current and future customers”.

BIBD said in a statement that they now have a total of 24 certified Islamic financial planners in their workforce, of whom three are also certified financial consultants.

The Brunei Times