Post Secondary Progression Opportunities

A dynamic national education system will produce a highly competent and employable graduate that meets the country’s manpower requirement to sustain economic growth. Amid queries of the availability of post secondary progression opportunities in TVET, a press conference was held today at the Ministry of Education. Present at the event were Dato Hj Zulkarnain Bin Hj Hanafi, Permanent Secretary (Higher Education), Hjh Anis Faudzulani, head of Higher Education section, Dr Hj Mohd Zamri Bin Hj Sabli, Acting Director, Institute of Brunei Technical Education, Awg Denis Ho Mun Tai, Director, Politeknik Brunei and Awg Hj Abdul Rahim Bin Hj Derus, Director General of Education and Head of the Department of Schools.

TVET plays an integral role in building a robust, comprehensive and integrated educational system that recognizes the diversity of talents and values in each individual.

As part of the Ministry of Education grand initiative to realign Technical and Vocational Education System to the demands of the various industries that support national economic development,  close collaboration with industries has been set up with the aim to produce skilled and competitive workforce who are entrepreneurial, possess the appropriate qualifications, industry accredited skills, professional and highly employable. Through this initiative, greater opportunity will be available for post-secondary school students who are skillful and technically inclined to pursue the technical and vocational education and training, and obtain gainful employment in the skill and technical sectors. This transformation is seen as more responsive and demand-driven with stakeholders pledging to commit by providing support in making the transformation a success.

Under the new national education system, Technical Education will be offered by both the Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE) and Politeknik Brunei (PB).  IBTE will award its own certificates at three levels of training namely, Industrial Skills Qualification or ISQ (NQF – Level 2), National Technical Education Certificate or the NTec (NQF – Level 3) and Higher National Tehnical Certificate or the HNTec (NQF – Level 4).  Entry level at ISQ is for Form Three (3) in pre-SPN21 system or Year 9 leavers of the SPN21 system. For NTec Level 3, applicants have to complete their Year 11 secondary education, though without necessary having any credit O Levels. For the HNTec Level 4, there is a minimum requirement of 3 O Levels (in relevant subjects).

PB on the other hand offers 3-years Diploma Programmes (NQF Level 5). This Diploma is equivalent to the Higher National Diploma (NQF – Level 5). Entry into Politeknik Brunei requires a minimum of 5 credit O Levels. They must obtained 5-26 points inclusive from the 5 relevant O Level subjects. Progression from HNTec is possible with merits performance. Entry into the Diploma in Health Science (NQF – Level 4) requires minimum 4 credit O Levels in relevant science subjects.

Currently, the technical education is still in its transition phase and at this transition stage, IBTE still offers the two-year BDTVEC Diploma (NQF Level 4). This diploma will be phased out soon and replaced by HNTec Programmes (NQF Level 4).  Similarly, some of the Skill Certificate Programs still on offer for the final intake, will be replaced by NTec Programmes next year. At Politeknik Brunei, the two-year Advanced Diploma programmes is phased out and is replaced by the three-year Diploma Programmes starting July 2015.

The transformation of Technical Education ensures multiple pathways with clear progression opportunities for our students in an effort to produce highly skilled human resource to supporting the nation’s economic development. This process is in response to the titah made by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam in welcoming the new year 2013, urging for a re-evaluation of the technical and vocational education, in the hopes of contributing to the needs of the industry and local job market.

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