Answer for Oral Question PL292

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Awang Haji Daud bin Jihan

YANG BERHORMAT AWANG HAJI DAUD BIN JIHAN asked the MINISTER OF CULTURE, YOUTH AND SPORTS to state the new strategies, integrated approaches and proactive measures to be implemented to identify, guide and improve the employability of youths who are not working, pursuing further education or undergoing skills training (NEET), and what actions will be taken to ensure that they can effectively participate in the employment market or skills training?

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan

With the population of Negara Brunei Darussalam standing at approximately 469,775 people, of whom around one-third comprise youths below the age of 35, it is clear that youths are a key asset that must be harnessed and empowered.

In this context, as shared by Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ahmadin bin Haji Abdul Rahman, Menteri Penyelaras Bagi Dasar-Dasar Sosial dan Tenaga Manusia and Menteri Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri, during the Debate on the Motion Supporting Coordination Towards Achieving Wawasan Brunei 2035 on 3 August 2026, concerning data from the JobCentre Brunei as of June 2026, there were 14,976 active jobseekers, of whom 79 per cent, or 11,876 people, were between the ages of 21 and 35. This data shows that the issue of youth participation in the employment market needs to be addressed comprehensively, taking into account the diversity of their backgrounds and qualification levels.

Accordingly, in addressing the issue of NEET youths, the Ministry’s efforts are based on strengthening and aligning the Ministry’s strategies and policies with the country’s three main blueprints, namely the Manpower Blueprint, Social Blueprint and Economic Blueprint, which serve as guiding frameworks for the comprehensive development of youths and the workforce.

Youth development is a multi-sectoral agenda that requires close cooperation among various ministries, government agencies, the private sector, non-governmental organisations and communities.

In this context, the role of KKBS is as one of the implementing agencies that focuses on direct interventions at the grassroots level, including for NEET youths, through skills programmes, character development and career guidance, as well as entrepreneurship development.

The Youth Development Centre under KKBS offers short-term marketable courses in digital technology, culinary studies, graphic design, social media marketing, multimedia, basic AI and website development—to assist youths who do not possess relevant industry skills to retrain their capabilities (reskilling) or enhance their existing skills (upskilling).

In addition, the approach adopted also focuses on fostering an entrepreneurial mindset by encouraging youths to become job creators. The Ministry has empowered youths through various entrepreneurship platforms, such as entrepreneurship skills programmes, the provision of incubators and financing schemes. These include the Skim BizBelia, a shariah-compliant microfinancing scheme that enables young entrepreneurs to obtain financial resources from financial institutions. This initiative is further strengthened by a mentoring component to ensure that young entrepreneurs have a sustainable business vision. As of April 2026, four youths had successfully obtained microfinancing under the Scheme.

Efforts to strengthen self-identity and leadership are a critical agenda in enhancing the employability of NEET youths. Beginning this year, the Program Khidmat Bakti Negara has been updated through the extension of the training period from three to six months. The Projek Rintis PKBN 6 bulan commenced on 9 August 2026 with a total of 28 trainees. The updated modules and curriculum, developed in cooperation with various government agencies and the private sector, are intended to serve as a platform for strengthening the trainees’ knowledge and skills in line with current requirements.

The PKBN implementation components focusing on self-identity development, discipline, patriotism, religious values, and mental and physical resilience will continue to be conducted and further strengthened through the introduction of two new components, namely the Komponen Siap Siaga Masa Depan and the Komponen Program Pertahanan Awam. These two new components will focus on developing the trainees’ skills in entrepreneurship through intensive theoretical and practical training. At the same time, these components will also provide in-depth exposure to the duties and responsibilities of the uniformed forces, namely the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, the Royal Brunei Police Force, and the Fire and Rescue Department.

At the same time, based on information shared by the Ministry of Education, among the proactive strategies implemented by the Ministry of Education are the following:

• Cohort Tracking Project: The use of a systematic tracking mechanism to identify graduates of the GCE O' Level, IGCSE, BTEC and Pre-Vocational programmes who have dropped out of the education system and the employment market.

• Alignment of the Technical and Vocational Education Scholarship Scheme (BPTV) and TVET: Providing a second opportunity for youths who obtain low academic results to pursue recognised technical skills training under the Brunei Darussalam Qualifications Framework (BDQF).

• Academic Enhancement Programme (Pusat Pembelajaran Sepanjang Hayat, L3): The provision of evening classes for core subjects—Malay Language, English Language and Mathematics D—to help youths improve their academic qualifications and fulfil the admission requirements for higher education institutions.

• Empowerment of the Entrepreneurial Mindset: Through the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre (EIC), platforms such as EIC Virtual Reality and competitions such as BigStart are used to foster a growth mindset and build youth employability through innovation skills.

These efforts are also supported by the establishment of Menteri-Menteri Penyelaras under the new Committee, which acts as a facilitator in coordinating cross-ministerial issues—ensuring that the Government’s interventions for NEET youths are complemented by policies and opportunities from other agencies in an integrated manner.

All these initiatives complement one another and form part of the effort to ensure that youths, including NEET youths, are not left behind and can contribute meaningfully to the country’s socioeconomic development.