| Izah Azahari |
ALONG with changes that have swept the world, changes in the educational system also need to be worked out to produce quality individuals who will exist when the education system functions optimally.
Minister of Education-cum-guest of honour Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong highlighted this yesterday at the Teacher’s Day (Special Mention) Appreciation Award Presentation ceremony held in conjunction with the 25th Teacher’s Day celebration.
The minister explained that a number of steps and strategies have been set holistically in preparing educators to become more competent and relevant in their field of work.
“The professionalism of teachers will be measured and they will be guided as required based on their respective competence through a standard introduced last year, which is the Brunei Teachers’ Standard,” he said.
This was followed by a special performance assessment framework for teachers called the Teacher Performance Appraisal (TPA), which was created in April 2014. It will take effect in 2016 as a comprehensive evaluation tool, where teachers will be evaluated from four perspectives – Students’ Achievement, Students’ Learning, Teaching and Professional Engagement.
Minister of Education Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohammad bin Pengiran Haji Abdul Rahman, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Seri Wijaya Pengiran Haji Ahmad bin Pengiran Mohd Yusof, Senior Assistant Chief of Adat Istiadat Negara, along with senior officials and Special Mention Award recipients
A section of teachers at the award ceremony. – PHOTOS: BAHYIAH BAKIR
The results will identify each teacher’s needs and a capacity development programme will be made available for those who need it. In this regard, the use of the TPA will be extended to become one of the aspects of evaluation for the conferment of the Outstanding Teacher Award and the Special Mention Award.
Moreover, school leaders at all levels are exposed to professional leadership programmes such as the Brunei Programme for Senior School Leaders (BPSSL) that was implemented with cohort recruitment on March 2, 2015, where a leadership competency framework known as the ‘Leadership Standard’ in the form of a live document has been done for school leaders, and will continue to be updated and reviewed according to the needs and expectations.
The minister later expressed hopes on the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of each programme conducted so as to determine the impact achieved through a process characterised as ‘evidence-based’ and ‘performance bench-marking’ to ensure that future plans and decisions are ‘forward looking’.
The Ministry of Education will continue to adopt modern tools of teaching, including at academic institutions of higher learning such as the Academic Staff Service Scheme (SPTA), he said.
It is hoped teachers will continue their efforts to enhance quality through strengthening innovative and creative teaching and learning through the use of online technology.
All of it requires credibility and quality from teachers to always strive to develop themselves towards continuous improvement in their fields, where support from important parties, especially school leaders, is needed, as commitment and effort from all parties is very important in realising the Brunei Vision 2035.
The post Changes in educational system needed to produce quality individuals appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.