ISB Opens New Branch In Kuala Belait
By Liza Mohd

Kuala Belait - Belait District Officer Awang Haji Mohamad bin Haji Abd Rahman said the strenuous efforts in bringing International School Brunei (ISB) to Belait District reflects a significant achievement as it provides an additional educational option for Belait residents and expatriates to have the opportunity to access international education.

"The opening of the school will be beneficial to people in this district in an ever-increasing globalised society and will provide our children here the opportunity to work and play with peers from diverse national and cultural backgrounds. It also gives them the opportunity to_ develop respect and empathy for a range of cultures, languages and values," he said, in his capacity as the guest of honour at the opening ceremony of the new ISB branch in Kuala Belait.

In his speech, the guest of honour also said that ISB in Bandar Seri Begawan is the only internationally accredited school in Brunei and the whole of Borneo with a world-class status.

The school currently has children up to the age of six but is now taking registrations for children in the primary level as there are plans to extend the age range to Year Six.

"Parents enrolling their children here can be confident that ISB Kuala Belait will be able to provide them with quality education and perhaps one day, there may even be a reason to build a facility for primary children," he said.

He added that the international nature of this school is not just reflected in the children but also in the teachers and that ISB has a healthy balance

of local and expatriate teachers, all of whom are appropriately qualified and experienced.

"Education is a fundamental human need in the increasingly complex and demanding environment in which we live in. Parents must provide the best possible educational opportunities for their children to equip them for life and there is no better investment that the individuals, parents and the nation can make than investing in education of the highest possible quality," he said.

The guest of honour further stressed on the importance of providing high quality education services. He added that not only skills of reading, writing and mathematics are to be taught but today's students need to learn other skills such as IT and `life' skills.

The ability to use communication and information technology are now a critical part of the learning process as well as an essential qualification for eventual application in the workplace.

He also touched on two more dimensions of education and the first relates to inquisitiveness, critical thinking and problem solving.

The second dimension involves the ability to reach conclusions that constitute the basis for informed judgments. As students develop this capacity, they can begin to grapple with the most important and difficult step, that is to learn to place such judgements in an ethical framework.

The District Officer then concluded his speech by stating that the school maintains its adherence to rules and regulations of local and other competent authorities such as the Ministry of Education of Brunei Darussalam in terms of curriculum, the

Municipal Board and Ministry of Health in regard to the safety regulation and hygiene of the school building and grounds.

Meanwhile, ISB Director Mr David Taylor in his welcoming remarks recalled that ISB in Bandar Seri Begawan was founded in 1964 and is the only independent, internationally accredited, non-profit community school in Brunei and the whole of Borneo.

He commended the ISB Board of Directors for having the vision to establish a branch of ISB in Kuala Belait in order to give the local and expatriate communities the opportunity to access the same level and style of education that is available to those in Bandar Seri Begawan.

"International schools add a new dimension to educational provision in that they blend local culture with a global perspective. Many developing communities consider the presence of such schools as being a prestigious asset in terms of the choices they offer to the local community and the increased attractiveness of the location to overseas companies wishing to employ personnel with families," he said.

The ISB Director said he feels confident in saying that the current team of early year practitioners is one of the school's major assets and will provide the foundation for developing this school over the coming years.

The opening ceremony was officiated with the chief guest unveiling the plaque to commemorate the occasion.

The ceremony was further blessed with a 'doa selamat'.

The event was attended by over 50 guests, district officials, parents and children who joined together to celebrate the auspicious occasion.

The school can be contacted at 3347113 or email at isbkb@brnnet.bn and they welcome prospective parents who would like to see the school in operation. The ISB Kuala Belait branch is located at Lot 4655 and 4656 along Jalan Panglima. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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