BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

PERCEPTIONS are starting to change toward technical and vocational schools as the last resort, said the acting principal of Institute of Brunei Technical Education Nakhoda Ragam Vocational School Campus.

Aminurrashid Hj Ibrahim said technical education institutions are often not the first choice for students to further their studies, but he observed that this trend is starting to change.

He said students should not look down on technical and vocational schools, which help them acquire skills. “We offer many courses that involve hands-on experiences and work attachments to ensure students’ future employment.”

The acting principal was speaking on the sidelines of the school’s opening of orientation for the 2015 intake.

Aminurrashid said the school has developed since the implementation of the five-year transformation from 2013 to 2018.

The vocational school’s name was changed to include Institute of Brunei Technical Education as part of the streamlining process of technical education in Brunei.

“The courses that we provide for the students since 2013 are tailored to the social and economic development of the country.

“The improvements of the transformation are still ongoing and so far we have seen more students making technical schools as their first choice,” he added.

A total of 322 students enrolled this year, down from 360 last year. Hj Zulkifli Hj Abdul Samad, registrar at the school, also urged the public to change their mindset on technical schools.

“Technical education is beneficial because students gain practical experiences that prepare them for their future, we are on the same level as mainstream schools,” he added.

The Brunei Times