BRUNEI-MUARA

LEARNING should not be limited to the classroom and students should be encouraged to seek new experience through participation in activities outside of the classroom.

The Permanent Secretary (Core Education) at the Ministry of Education (MoE) said this in his speech yesterday at the launch of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Guidelines for Field Trips book at the Royal Berkshire Hall in Jerudong.

Dr Hj Junaidi Hj Abd Rahman said that students should not just study theories but learn through practicals as well.

Many benefits can be gained by taking part in field trips, said the permanent secretary, adding that it offers students the opportunity to experience and gain knowledge not accessible in classrooms.

“Field trips will help shape and develop a student’s analytical skills,” Dr Hj Junaidi said, adding that long-term field trips can nurture students to be more independent as well.

He said that referring to the theme “Safety is a Shared Responsibility”, the responsibility to look after safety should not just fall on the Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) Division’s shoulder, but a collective responsibility of everyone in the ministry’s community.

Dr Hj Junaidi stated that he hopes the division can continue to socialise awareness on the importance of HSSE effectively, noting that the SOP Guidelines for Field Trips book represents a starting point for the division to publish several other guide books related to HSSE.

The Permanent Secretary said that globalisation has generated currents of modernisation and increases society’s expectation towards the importance of health, safety, security and environment.

A four-day workshop on risk assessment for field trips is currently under way to acquaint participants with the importance of safety and health in organising field trips as well as providing an explanation of the SOP guidelines in place for field trips.

The workshop, which will be organised in steps for officers and staff of the ministry, is going to add value to the guidebook, said Dr Hj Junaidi.

Acting Director of Administration and Services Department under MoE, Pg Hj Rosli Pg Hj Halus, said that the aim of the book is to act as a manual or guide for all officers and staff under the ministry planning a field trip.

Pg Hj Rosli added that the book is intended to “explain the steps required to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment for activities carried out during field trips to ensure that they are ready to face any emergencies or incidents” in an organised and systematic manner.

He added that the launch of the guidebook represents a significant progress towards raising awareness on the importance of HSSE in an educational context.

The HSSE division was created in December last year, according to the acting director, adding that it only started full operations on March 22.

The Brunei Times