Bandar Seri Begawan - Hard work and dedication from Scout leaders as well as the implementation of productive and effectual strategies will be the key to achieving the Brunei Darussalam Scouts Association's (PPNBD) target of achieving 10,000 members by 2013.

Head of the Uniformed Unit under the Co-curriculum Education Department, Jalil Pengarah Hj Kapitan emphasised this yesterday at the closing and certificate presentation ceremony for the second National Patrol Leaders Course.

Jalil also noted that an increase in the number of Scouts over the last three years is a positive sign towards achieving the association's member target.

"There are 1,854 Scouts in 2009, an increase from 1,366 and 1,709 members in 2007 and 2008 respectively. This number however excludes members registered under their own Scout associations and Open Troops (among school students)," he said.

"I believe that with hardwork and commitment from the leaders as well as implementation of effective strategies, PPNBD will achieve its target of 10,000 members by 2013," he added.

According to the Jalil, who also presented certificates to the participants, this rise in Scouts is a positive outcome as "several school principals and headmasters have informed me that their schools were able to overcome students' discipline problems through establishing uniformed clubs in schools".

The National Patrol Leaders Course, organised by the Co-curriculum Education Department with cooperation from the PPNBD, brought together 75 junior scouts aged between 12 and 15 and 21 teachers from 13 schools around the country.

The three-day course is a permanent event in the PPNBD calendar, aimed at achieving the association's vision and mission of obtaining a membership list of 10,000 members. The course also aimed to further develop leadership skills among the members, as well as responsibility and cooperative qualities of the participants along with building and developing the participants' characteristics towards becoming efficient leaders capable of training new members.

Chosen to be assistants to the supervising teachers, Khairil Ikhwan Hj Osman and Ak Hafiz Pg Aji from the Kg Sg Liang Scouts Association and Rimba Secondary School respectively, said that the experience the course was valuable in helping their peers hone their leadership skills.

The course consists of 15 theoretical sessions which includes survival, fire lighting and first aid exercises, as well as topography and jungle trekking activities.  -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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