BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

OVER 400 primary and secondary school students yesterday received awards for achieving outstanding results in the 2014 public examinations.

The awards ceremony, which took place at the International Convention Centre, was co-organised by the Department of Schools and the Department of Examinations under the Ministry of Education (MoE), in collaboration with the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) organisation.

Among the award recipients were 100 secondary school students who had received at least three A grades in the 2014 Brunei-Cambridge GCE A-level examinations; and 75 students who got at least eight O’s (two out of which were A* grades) in last year’s GCE O-level examinations.

Seventy-two of the secondary students were recognised as “Cambridge Outstanding Achievers”, as each had received at least one “Top in the World”, “Top Ten in the World” or “Top in Brunei Darussalam” title for doing well in a specific school subject.

Meanwhile, 220 primary school students were feted for achieving five A grades in the 2014 Primary School Assessment (PSR) examinations, as were four other students for achieving outstanding Pearson BTEC Level 2 Extended Certificate results.

Special needs students Muhammad Haziq Syafiq Hj Aisha and Lee Eng Hoo @ Melvin Lee also received recognition for performing well in last year’s A- and O-level examinations, respectively.

Present to hand out awards to all the high-achieving students was the Minister of Education, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia Hj Awg Abu Bakar Hj Apong.

Acting Director of Schools Zaman Hj Gapar said that the awards were intended to recognise and reward students who had achieved excellence in their education, and also to encourage “healthy competition” among students to constantly improve their academic performance.

“Generally, the quality of students’ performance in all the public examinations in 2014 is better, compared to the previous year,” Zaman said.

“Such improved performance is due in part to all the concerted efforts of education ministry authorities in improving the quality of learning and teaching, as well as the various initiatives that have been undertaken (by the ministry) at different levels,” he said.

During his speech, the department official also acknowledged nine secondary schools who had last year shown vast improvements (varying between 7.12 to 14 per cent) in achieving at least five O’s in the GCE O-level examinations.

Among those also present yesterday were Deputy Minister of Education Dato Seri Setia Hj Yussof Hj Ismail, MoE Permanent Secretary of Core Education Dr Hj Junaidi Hj Abdul Rahman, MoE Permanent Secretary of Higher Education Dr Hj Zulkarnain Hj Hanafi, other ministry officials and members, parents and guardians.

The Brunei Times