Answer for Written Question PT047

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Haji Md. Yusof

YANG BERHORMAT PEHIN ORANG KAYA JOHAN PAHLAWAN DATO SERI SETIA AWANG HAJI ADANAN BIN BEGAWAN PEHIN SIRAJA KHATIB DATO SERI SETIA HAJI MD. YUSOF requested the MENTERI PENDIDIKAN to state how the STEAM programme is being nurtured and instilled in efforts to develop students’ more critical and analytical minds, beginning at the primary education level, with the aim of changing the conventional mindset of seeking employment?

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri Pendidikan

To strengthen 21st-century skills among students, the Ministry of Education continues to implement various strategic initiatives that emphasise the development of critical and analytical thinking, higher-order thinking skills, creativity and problem-solving abilities, in preparation for students to face future challenges.

The efforts implemented include the following:

• Early exposure to the STEAM curriculum through the introduction and offering of related subjects such as Science, Mathematics and ICT from as early as the primary school level, in order to increase students’ interest, proficiency and confidence in the fields of science, technology and innovation.

• The application of active and student-centred pedagogy, including a real-world learning approach, to enable students to connect theory with practical applications and develop meaningful problem-solving skills.

• The implementation of Steam Education and Skills (SES), which emphasises Inquiry-Based Learning, Problem-Based Learning and collaborative learning approaches, thereby providing students with opportunities to explore, analyse and produce solutions critically and creatively.

• The implementation of various STEAM and innovation activities and competitions organised by Pusat STEP and the Education Innovation Centre (EIC), including exposure to coding and robotic skills as well as the Celik-Biz and BIG-start programmes, in order to strengthen students’ digital and entrepreneurial literacy and expose them to current developments in technology and innovation.

• Students’ participation in competitions at the national, regional and international levels, such as CIPTA, BICTA and APICTA, aimed at enhancing global competitiveness, while also developing leadership, teamwork and resilience in facing challenges. Alhamdulillah, several government and private primary schools have recorded excellent achievements at the national and international levels, including Sekolah Rendah Lambak Kanan Jalan 49 and Sekolah Rendah Rimba III, which have won awards in the Brunei ICT Awards (BICTA).

In addition, the Ministry of Education has also strengthened strategic cooperation with various stakeholders, including Seria Energy Lab (SEL), the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) and LiveWIRE Brunei, in order to expand authentic learning opportunities and empower students’ technological, innovation and entrepreneurial skills.