Mechanics Training Centre Open Day to run until Nov 25

Bandar Seri Begawan - The Minister of Education through his recent visit to Qatar showed great concern in identifying the benchmark of technical and vocational education in Brunei Darussalam to be at the same level with other countries.

Therefore, technical and vocational institutions including the Mechanics Training Centre are currently being reviewed to adapt to the Australian TAFE learning system whereby schools and programmes that are taught will practise strong industrial connections.

The call to raise the standards of technical and vocational education was highlighted by Ak Abdullah bin Pg Hj Tengah, the Deputy Permanent Secretary (Higher Education) at the Ministry of Education in his remarks as guest of honour at the launch of the Mechanics Training Centre Open Day yesterday.

"The Ministry of Education," he said, "is aware that the graduates in the technical and vocational institutions have not been able to find employment. The ministry is currently making plans to overcome the problem. This includes identifying the needs of industries which will become the basis in the shaping of curriculum in making sure that the technical and vocational institutions in Brunei Darussalam will continue to be relevant."

Earlier in his remarks, Ak Abdullah highlighted the importance of public-private partnership by quoting the titah of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam during this year's Teacher's Day celebration which stressed on the strategic plan that needs to be implemented and undertaken with the involvement from industries and entrepreneurs in sharing their experience and expertise.

Towards supporting His Majesty's titah, Ak Abdullah said, "the relationship was further strengthened for the Mechanics Training Centre and private-public partnership through a Memorandum of Agreement. With the established relationship, there is strong support from the automobile industries in achieving the mission and vision of technical and vocational institutions and the Ministry of Education as a whole".

He added, "His Majesty has stressed that it's about time that the Ministry of Education looks into the Technical Education Service Scheme and to provide innovation to the scheme to allow the workforce in the industry to become the teaching force in technical learning institutions, either full time or part time."

By identifying the needs of the teaching force through the scheme, he said, "it is hoped that it will provide more extensive skills especially 'hands on' and as a result become a teaching force that are proactive and with calibre".

Meanwhile, Cikgu Aket bin Melayong, the principal of the Mechanics Training Centre said, "The Open Day will continue until November 25 in conjunction with the Silver Jubilee celebration of the centre.

"We are very fortunate to have the new building, which began operation in July 2012. With the new campus, the centre will work hard to become a centre of excellence in the field of automobile," he added.

"In a short period, which is by early next year, the intake for the centre is expected to increase with the combination of the Automobile Programme under Sultan Bolkiah Vocational School and Mechanical Programme under Sultan Saiful Rijal Technical School, which will be moved to the Mechanics Training Centre. In two to three years, the intake capacity will be between 500 and 600."

Cikgu Aket further said that "the programme undertaken by the centre in cooperation with the Technical Education Department in fulfilling the aspiration of the government will ensure that more graduates from technical institutions represent the future of the development of industry to replace workers in the private sector". He added that the centre has implemented the Apprentice Scheme, Entrepreneur Scheme and Community Scheme for the public.

After the launch, the guest of honour toured the booths that had been set up for the Open Day.

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin