Why Brunei can easily be food-sufficient
MICHAEL A BENGWAYAN
MANILA
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
THERE are moves for Brunei to engage China's assistance for its food production drive. But if agricultural experts have been hesitant in saying Brunei can be self-sufficient in food, economists have been more blunt.
Brunei and countries with similar geography can easily be self-sufficient in food. That is what prominent economic expert Ricardo Hausmann, director of International Development Center for International Development at Harvard University says. He avers that only tropical, landlocked nations may never enjoy access to the markets and new technologies they need to flourish in the global economy in his book Prisoners of Geography.
Brunei is not landlocked, it has excellent access to sea and land travel — but why is most of its food being imported?
Brunei imports some 80 per cent of its food needs and the government is attempting to increase agricultural production.
While Brunei is nearly self-sufficient in vegetables, it still imports 100 vegetables such as baby kailan/tunas, tomato, young corn, tomato, chilli, rebong, daun selasih, pucuk batat, peria, kuchai, kailan, sawi bunga and timun manis from Sabah and Sarawak, the Agricultural Ministry said.
Brunei produces only over one per cent of rice locally and imports 60 to 70 per cent of tropical fruits as well as cattle and poultry.
Last year alone, 3,185 metric tonnes of agricultural commodities worth US$2.2 million ($3.2 million) were imported.
According to statistics from the Agricultural Department, the total consumption of vegetables last year was 16,098 metric tonnes with an estimated retail value of US$36.7 million. Of the total, 9,518.1 metric tonnes with an estimated retail value of US$21.6 million, was locally produced.
How then does Brunei's geography help the country leap-frog to food self-sufficency?
Hausmann implies that with Brunei's location, it can easily access research, information and technology for the development of its agriculture by spending more of its oil and gas earnings on agricultural research and development.
He said the divergence in agricultural productivity between the developed and developing world is grounded in dramatically different research and development capabilities.
Governments in advanced economies spend up to five times more on agriculture-related research and development than their counterparts in developing countries.
Rich nations also benefit from the expenditures of private agricultural producers — a source of funding that is virtually nonexistent in developing nations. Geography aggravates this disparity. The agricultural sector of tropical countries should then be more dynamic than in temperate zones.
Since unproductive agricultural workers can produce little more than what they require for personal subsistence (and therefore cannot support large urban populations), rural areas remain sparsely populated, have small, poor markets, and suffer from high transportation costs — all of which hamper economic growth, he added..
Brunei, then, has to spend more on agricultural research, farmer training and extension and make farming not only a way of living but more so of an enterprise to attract more Bruneians to engage in agricultural activities.
The agricultural ministry intends to generate strategic and innovative technologies in relevant areas of agrotechnology to promote sustainable development of the agriculture and agri-food industries. But to concretise this, there is an urgent need that a strong research focus be initiated and sustained backed by a vibrant group of agriculturists.
While land, finance, and irrigation facilities are available, agricultural activities lack manpower resources. The gap between wages in farming and the public sector is large, and most Bruneians have little interest in agricultural production.
In 1996, out of an economically active population of 127,000, only 2,000 — less than 2 per cent — were engaged in the agriculture.
The picture should change.
At present, just less than fifteen per cent of the land is cultivated, resulting in low agricultural output and continued dependence on the importation of food from abroad.
For example, the government maintains a cattle ranch in Australia to ensure a steady supply of beef. This ranch, located at Willeroo in the Northern Territory, is actually larger than the entire country of Brunei.
Thailand continues to be a source for a large percentage of Brunei's staple food, rice.
According to Brunei's agricultural ministry, the government has numerous incentives to encourage people to work in the agricultural sector, including free pesticides, low-cost fertilisers, training programs, model farms, and other support from the Agriculture Department. Despite this governmental assistance, during the 1990's less than five per cent of the workforce was employed in agriculture (many of whom were only involved in subsistence farming).
The government has also tried to encourage the production of mushrooms and specialty fruit for the export market, but to date there has been only modest progress in these areas.
It is also upporting the development of local agriculture and agri-food industries by providing advisory, consultancy, technical services and technology transfer in relevant areas of agrotechnology to the industries.
Yet, there is a need to strengthen the link between technology generated, verified and applicable technologies with those of technology end-users.
A leading agriculturist from the University of the Philippine College of Agriculture at Los Banos where some of Asia's best agriculturists have studied, Dr Lucy Villanuena, said Brunei should grow globally competitive and high value crops to attract its young population to engage in agricultural enterprise.
Dr Lucio Victor, a former agriculture university president and who helped Malaysia in the early 80s in the country's agricultural boom as a consultant, said there was a need to develop outstanding crop of agricultural scientists to propel agriculture to competitive level.
There should also be an upswing in promoting agriculture as a college course for the young Bruneian population besides urging them to be more responsive to economically productive endeavours.
The writer is a Filipino writer on environment and community development issues.
The Brunei Times
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Brunei education system one of the best
Published on The Brunei Times (http://www.bt.com.bn/en)
Brunei education system one of the best
Rozan Yunos
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Sunday, October 21, 2007
BRUNEI'S literacy rate according to the latest statistics is more than 94 per cent, making it one of the highest in the world. Yet, barely a century ago, there was hardly anyone in Brunei who could read or write the romanised characters though there were some who could read the Al-Quran.
Brunei's western mode education system was introduced only a few years after the establishment of the British Residency. The first British Resident was in Brunei in 1906 following the 1906 Agreement between Brunei and the United Kingdom. At that time, the education system in Brunei was along the line of religious education with "sekolah pondok" and students being taught the rudiments of the Islamic religion as well as how to read the Al-Quran.
It was not until 1911 that the British Resident was able to introduce a western education system. It was not because education did not play an important role for the government but it was because of the lack of funds as well as the lack of available Bruneians who would be able to become the first teachers. Between 1906 and 1910, the budgets were in deficit and it was only in 1911 that the budget showed a small surplus.
It was also thought that the introduction of a western style education so soon after the British Residency would be quite sensitive to the Brunei population then.
In 1914, the first Brunei school was built. It was a Malay vernacular school built in Brunei Town. At first the school operated from a mosque before it moved to a building which was formerly occupied by the Monopoly Office. The first group of students was made up of 30 boys.
By 1915, that number has increased to 40 boys. Another school was established in Muara with a Malay Teacher teaching at his own house. The other districts got their first schools in the next three years. In Belait, the first Malay school, the third in the country, was built in 1917. In Tutong, it was built in 1918.
The first crop of these schools was absorbed into the government as trainees by 1917 and full time government servants by 1920. Some of these students were also sent to attend short teaching courses at a Teachers' Training College in Malacca in 1919.
However despite the government's efforts, many parents did not want to send their children to schools. Even though there were shortages of teachers and shortages of school buildings, there were also shortages of willing parents. Most of the boys who attended were from the upper class and very few from the village commoners. Most parents refused to send their daughters to school.
As described by one mother who only attended up to Primary 2, her mother and her aunt told her that there was no point for her to have the ability to read and write: she would just waste that writing love letters to boys. Some parents feared that sending daughters would be a waste as they would end up as housewives anyway.
Nevertheless, the need for education was slowly being accepted by the masses. The Chinese community established their own school in 1916. In 1925, the villagers at Kampong Kilanas asked for a school to be built in their area and it was built the year after.
The education provided was free but the curriculum was not geared towards anything other than basic general education.
Education in these early vernacular schools was quite limited. Most of the education was conducted in Malay for boys aged between seven and fourteen years. The curriculum consisted of Reading and Writing (in both Jawi and Roman script), Composition, Arithmetic, Geography, History, Hygiene, Drawing and Physical Education. Gardening and Basketry were later introduced at some schools.
The government report of 1928 noted that "the curriculum of these schools is based on that of the vernacular schools in Malaya and all teaching is in the Malay language nothing is taught which will tend to drive Malays from their agriculturist pursuits". The education provided only enabled the students to fill in the lower government posts. Despite that the government continued to pursue better education for all.
In 1926 an education inspector (known as Nazir) was appointed. Teachers were also being trained at the Sultan Idris Teacher Training College in Tanjung Malim, Malaysia.
In order to encourage parents to send their children to school, limited compulsory attendance was introduced in 1929 via the School Attendance Enactment (No 3 of 1929). The Brunei Town area was the only location immediately affected. It was introduced in Kuala Belait in 1933.
The government continued to have a tough task in getting girls to school. One government report in 1933 noted that "apart from government servants few Malays like the idea of their girls attending schools it is hoped, however, that slow progress will be made against the wall of conservatism it must be remembered that purdah has a much stronger hold in Brunei than in the Federated Malay States".
Yet, by the outbreak of World War II in 1941, there were 312 girls among 1,746 pupils. The number of schools in Brunei had increased to 32 which included 24 Vernacular Malay, 3 private English and 5 private Chinese.
After the war, there was a number of shortages. In Brunei Town, some students described their school as having no paper and no furniture. Every time they had to write something, they will be using a slab which would be wiped clean every time they have covered the slab. The students would be on the floor lying prone facing downwards writing on their slabs. Their pencils would be an inch stub scavenged from the Australian army camp. To make the pencils longer, the students used empty bullet casing fitted in at the end of the pencils.
There was much reconstruction after the war. In October 1951 a Brunei Town Government English school was opened, followed by the opening of another in Kuala Belait the following year. In less than three years, the Government was able to introduce English- medium secondary education to the country. By 1966, the Government also started Malay medium secondary education.
In 1954 Brunei embarked on a five year Development Plan for education. New schools were planned. Many teachers were trained and expatriates employed as additional teachers in the schools.
By the completion of that Plan in 1959, there were 15,006 pupils enrolled in the State's schools, 30 per cent of whom were girls. There were 52 Malay primary schools; 3 English schools (including one exclusively for girls that had been completed in 1958); 7 mission schools; 8 Chinese primary schools and 3 Chinese secondary schools. In addition, there were 133 Bruneians at teacher training colleges overseas, and many at Brunei's own college that had opened in 1956.
In August 1969, following a Brunei Youth Council seminar on education which focused on the needs and importance of having a national education policy; an Education Commission was established in 1970. The 1972 Commission Report was adopted by the government and this formed the basis for the present education policy as well as the basic organisation of the present Ministry of Education. An Education Council was established and the recommendation of the use of Malay as the main medium of instruction. Though by 1984, a bilingual education policy — dwibahasa — was introduced.
Today there are more than 110,000 students in the Brunei Education System with more than 270 education establishments throughout the country. Education is provided free up to university level and beyond for Brunei citizens. The education provided is expected to produce Bruneians who are able to play their part in the present day knowledge-based economy and yet, at the same, remain imbued with strong Islamic and Malay values.
A second university has just been established and the religious teacher training college has also been upgraded to be a university college.
Brunei's Education Philosophy is founded on the National Philosophy of a Malay Islamic Monarchy and incorporated the two key elements of naqli (on the basis of the holy Quran and Hadith) and aqli (on the basis of reasoning).
These two elements are essential in the development of individuals to their fullest potential, thereby bringing forth people who are knowledgeable, skillful, faithful, pious, and of excellent character which are fundamental in the realisation and emergence of a national identity based on the national philosophy as well as Islamic teachings in accordance with Ahli Sunnah Wal-Jamaah.
How times indeed have changed when just a 100 years ago, hardly anyone in Brunei could read.
The writer runs a website on Brunei at bruneiresources.com
The Brunei Times
________________________________________
Source URL:
http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/life/2007/10/21/brunei_education_system_one_of_the_best
Brunei education system one of the best
Rozan Yunos
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Sunday, October 21, 2007
BRUNEI'S literacy rate according to the latest statistics is more than 94 per cent, making it one of the highest in the world. Yet, barely a century ago, there was hardly anyone in Brunei who could read or write the romanised characters though there were some who could read the Al-Quran.
Brunei's western mode education system was introduced only a few years after the establishment of the British Residency. The first British Resident was in Brunei in 1906 following the 1906 Agreement between Brunei and the United Kingdom. At that time, the education system in Brunei was along the line of religious education with "sekolah pondok" and students being taught the rudiments of the Islamic religion as well as how to read the Al-Quran.
It was not until 1911 that the British Resident was able to introduce a western education system. It was not because education did not play an important role for the government but it was because of the lack of funds as well as the lack of available Bruneians who would be able to become the first teachers. Between 1906 and 1910, the budgets were in deficit and it was only in 1911 that the budget showed a small surplus.
It was also thought that the introduction of a western style education so soon after the British Residency would be quite sensitive to the Brunei population then.
In 1914, the first Brunei school was built. It was a Malay vernacular school built in Brunei Town. At first the school operated from a mosque before it moved to a building which was formerly occupied by the Monopoly Office. The first group of students was made up of 30 boys.
By 1915, that number has increased to 40 boys. Another school was established in Muara with a Malay Teacher teaching at his own house. The other districts got their first schools in the next three years. In Belait, the first Malay school, the third in the country, was built in 1917. In Tutong, it was built in 1918.
The first crop of these schools was absorbed into the government as trainees by 1917 and full time government servants by 1920. Some of these students were also sent to attend short teaching courses at a Teachers' Training College in Malacca in 1919.
However despite the government's efforts, many parents did not want to send their children to schools. Even though there were shortages of teachers and shortages of school buildings, there were also shortages of willing parents. Most of the boys who attended were from the upper class and very few from the village commoners. Most parents refused to send their daughters to school.
As described by one mother who only attended up to Primary 2, her mother and her aunt told her that there was no point for her to have the ability to read and write: she would just waste that writing love letters to boys. Some parents feared that sending daughters would be a waste as they would end up as housewives anyway.
Nevertheless, the need for education was slowly being accepted by the masses. The Chinese community established their own school in 1916. In 1925, the villagers at Kampong Kilanas asked for a school to be built in their area and it was built the year after.
The education provided was free but the curriculum was not geared towards anything other than basic general education.
Education in these early vernacular schools was quite limited. Most of the education was conducted in Malay for boys aged between seven and fourteen years. The curriculum consisted of Reading and Writing (in both Jawi and Roman script), Composition, Arithmetic, Geography, History, Hygiene, Drawing and Physical Education. Gardening and Basketry were later introduced at some schools.
The government report of 1928 noted that "the curriculum of these schools is based on that of the vernacular schools in Malaya and all teaching is in the Malay language nothing is taught which will tend to drive Malays from their agriculturist pursuits". The education provided only enabled the students to fill in the lower government posts. Despite that the government continued to pursue better education for all.
In 1926 an education inspector (known as Nazir) was appointed. Teachers were also being trained at the Sultan Idris Teacher Training College in Tanjung Malim, Malaysia.
In order to encourage parents to send their children to school, limited compulsory attendance was introduced in 1929 via the School Attendance Enactment (No 3 of 1929). The Brunei Town area was the only location immediately affected. It was introduced in Kuala Belait in 1933.
The government continued to have a tough task in getting girls to school. One government report in 1933 noted that "apart from government servants few Malays like the idea of their girls attending schools it is hoped, however, that slow progress will be made against the wall of conservatism it must be remembered that purdah has a much stronger hold in Brunei than in the Federated Malay States".
Yet, by the outbreak of World War II in 1941, there were 312 girls among 1,746 pupils. The number of schools in Brunei had increased to 32 which included 24 Vernacular Malay, 3 private English and 5 private Chinese.
After the war, there was a number of shortages. In Brunei Town, some students described their school as having no paper and no furniture. Every time they had to write something, they will be using a slab which would be wiped clean every time they have covered the slab. The students would be on the floor lying prone facing downwards writing on their slabs. Their pencils would be an inch stub scavenged from the Australian army camp. To make the pencils longer, the students used empty bullet casing fitted in at the end of the pencils.
There was much reconstruction after the war. In October 1951 a Brunei Town Government English school was opened, followed by the opening of another in Kuala Belait the following year. In less than three years, the Government was able to introduce English- medium secondary education to the country. By 1966, the Government also started Malay medium secondary education.
In 1954 Brunei embarked on a five year Development Plan for education. New schools were planned. Many teachers were trained and expatriates employed as additional teachers in the schools.
By the completion of that Plan in 1959, there were 15,006 pupils enrolled in the State's schools, 30 per cent of whom were girls. There were 52 Malay primary schools; 3 English schools (including one exclusively for girls that had been completed in 1958); 7 mission schools; 8 Chinese primary schools and 3 Chinese secondary schools. In addition, there were 133 Bruneians at teacher training colleges overseas, and many at Brunei's own college that had opened in 1956.
In August 1969, following a Brunei Youth Council seminar on education which focused on the needs and importance of having a national education policy; an Education Commission was established in 1970. The 1972 Commission Report was adopted by the government and this formed the basis for the present education policy as well as the basic organisation of the present Ministry of Education. An Education Council was established and the recommendation of the use of Malay as the main medium of instruction. Though by 1984, a bilingual education policy — dwibahasa — was introduced.
Today there are more than 110,000 students in the Brunei Education System with more than 270 education establishments throughout the country. Education is provided free up to university level and beyond for Brunei citizens. The education provided is expected to produce Bruneians who are able to play their part in the present day knowledge-based economy and yet, at the same, remain imbued with strong Islamic and Malay values.
A second university has just been established and the religious teacher training college has also been upgraded to be a university college.
Brunei's Education Philosophy is founded on the National Philosophy of a Malay Islamic Monarchy and incorporated the two key elements of naqli (on the basis of the holy Quran and Hadith) and aqli (on the basis of reasoning).
These two elements are essential in the development of individuals to their fullest potential, thereby bringing forth people who are knowledgeable, skillful, faithful, pious, and of excellent character which are fundamental in the realisation and emergence of a national identity based on the national philosophy as well as Islamic teachings in accordance with Ahli Sunnah Wal-Jamaah.
How times indeed have changed when just a 100 years ago, hardly anyone in Brunei could read.
The writer runs a website on Brunei at bruneiresources.com
The Brunei Times
________________________________________
Source URL:
http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/life/2007/10/21/brunei_education_system_one_of_the_best
Brunei education system one of the best
Published on The Brunei Times (http://www.bt.com.bn/en)
Brunei education system one of the best
Rozan Yunos
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Sunday, October 21, 2007
BRUNEI'S literacy rate according to the latest statistics is more than 94 per cent, making it one of the highest in the world. Yet, barely a century ago, there was hardly anyone in Brunei who could read or write the romanised characters though there were some who could read the Al-Quran.
Brunei's western mode education system was introduced only a few years after the establishment of the British Residency. The first British Resident was in Brunei in 1906 following the 1906 Agreement between Brunei and the United Kingdom. At that time, the education system in Brunei was along the line of religious education with "sekolah pondok" and students being taught the rudiments of the Islamic religion as well as how to read the Al-Quran.
It was not until 1911 that the British Resident was able to introduce a western education system. It was not because education did not play an important role for the government but it was because of the lack of funds as well as the lack of available Bruneians who would be able to become the first teachers. Between 1906 and 1910, the budgets were in deficit and it was only in 1911 that the budget showed a small surplus.
It was also thought that the introduction of a western style education so soon after the British Residency would be quite sensitive to the Brunei population then.
In 1914, the first Brunei school was built. It was a Malay vernacular school built in Brunei Town. At first the school operated from a mosque before it moved to a building which was formerly occupied by the Monopoly Office. The first group of students was made up of 30 boys.
By 1915, that number has increased to 40 boys. Another school was established in Muara with a Malay Teacher teaching at his own house. The other districts got their first schools in the next three years. In Belait, the first Malay school, the third in the country, was built in 1917. In Tutong, it was built in 1918.
The first crop of these schools was absorbed into the government as trainees by 1917 and full time government servants by 1920. Some of these students were also sent to attend short teaching courses at a Teachers' Training College in Malacca in 1919.
However despite the government's efforts, many parents did not want to send their children to schools. Even though there were shortages of teachers and shortages of school buildings, there were also shortages of willing parents. Most of the boys who attended were from the upper class and very few from the village commoners. Most parents refused to send their daughters to school.
As described by one mother who only attended up to Primary 2, her mother and her aunt told her that there was no point for her to have the ability to read and write: she would just waste that writing love letters to boys. Some parents feared that sending daughters would be a waste as they would end up as housewives anyway.
Nevertheless, the need for education was slowly being accepted by the masses. The Chinese community established their own school in 1916. In 1925, the villagers at Kampong Kilanas asked for a school to be built in their area and it was built the year after.
The education provided was free but the curriculum was not geared towards anything other than basic general education.
Education in these early vernacular schools was quite limited. Most of the education was conducted in Malay for boys aged between seven and fourteen years. The curriculum consisted of Reading and Writing (in both Jawi and Roman script), Composition, Arithmetic, Geography, History, Hygiene, Drawing and Physical Education. Gardening and Basketry were later introduced at some schools.
The government report of 1928 noted that "the curriculum of these schools is based on that of the vernacular schools in Malaya and all teaching is in the Malay language nothing is taught which will tend to drive Malays from their agriculturist pursuits". The education provided only enabled the students to fill in the lower government posts. Despite that the government continued to pursue better education for all.
In 1926 an education inspector (known as Nazir) was appointed. Teachers were also being trained at the Sultan Idris Teacher Training College in Tanjung Malim, Malaysia.
In order to encourage parents to send their children to school, limited compulsory attendance was introduced in 1929 via the School Attendance Enactment (No 3 of 1929). The Brunei Town area was the only location immediately affected. It was introduced in Kuala Belait in 1933.
The government continued to have a tough task in getting girls to school. One government report in 1933 noted that "apart from government servants few Malays like the idea of their girls attending schools it is hoped, however, that slow progress will be made against the wall of conservatism it must be remembered that purdah has a much stronger hold in Brunei than in the Federated Malay States".
Yet, by the outbreak of World War II in 1941, there were 312 girls among 1,746 pupils. The number of schools in Brunei had increased to 32 which included 24 Vernacular Malay, 3 private English and 5 private Chinese.
After the war, there was a number of shortages. In Brunei Town, some students described their school as having no paper and no furniture. Every time they had to write something, they will be using a slab which would be wiped clean every time they have covered the slab. The students would be on the floor lying prone facing downwards writing on their slabs. Their pencils would be an inch stub scavenged from the Australian army camp. To make the pencils longer, the students used empty bullet casing fitted in at the end of the pencils.
There was much reconstruction after the war. In October 1951 a Brunei Town Government English school was opened, followed by the opening of another in Kuala Belait the following year. In less than three years, the Government was able to introduce English- medium secondary education to the country. By 1966, the Government also started Malay medium secondary education.
In 1954 Brunei embarked on a five year Development Plan for education. New schools were planned. Many teachers were trained and expatriates employed as additional teachers in the schools.
By the completion of that Plan in 1959, there were 15,006 pupils enrolled in the State's schools, 30 per cent of whom were girls. There were 52 Malay primary schools; 3 English schools (including one exclusively for girls that had been completed in 1958); 7 mission schools; 8 Chinese primary schools and 3 Chinese secondary schools. In addition, there were 133 Bruneians at teacher training colleges overseas, and many at Brunei's own college that had opened in 1956.
In August 1969, following a Brunei Youth Council seminar on education which focused on the needs and importance of having a national education policy; an Education Commission was established in 1970. The 1972 Commission Report was adopted by the government and this formed the basis for the present education policy as well as the basic organisation of the present Ministry of Education. An Education Council was established and the recommendation of the use of Malay as the main medium of instruction. Though by 1984, a bilingual education policy — dwibahasa — was introduced.
Today there are more than 110,000 students in the Brunei Education System with more than 270 education establishments throughout the country. Education is provided free up to university level and beyond for Brunei citizens. The education provided is expected to produce Bruneians who are able to play their part in the present day knowledge-based economy and yet, at the same, remain imbued with strong Islamic and Malay values.
A second university has just been established and the religious teacher training college has also been upgraded to be a university college.
Brunei's Education Philosophy is founded on the National Philosophy of a Malay Islamic Monarchy and incorporated the two key elements of naqli (on the basis of the holy Quran and Hadith) and aqli (on the basis of reasoning).
These two elements are essential in the development of individuals to their fullest potential, thereby bringing forth people who are knowledgeable, skillful, faithful, pious, and of excellent character which are fundamental in the realisation and emergence of a national identity based on the national philosophy as well as Islamic teachings in accordance with Ahli Sunnah Wal-Jamaah.
How times indeed have changed when just a 100 years ago, hardly anyone in Brunei could read.
The writer runs a website on Brunei at bruneiresources.com
The Brunei Times
________________________________________
Source URL:
http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/life/2007/10/21/brunei_education_system_one_of_the_best
Brunei education system one of the best
Rozan Yunos
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Sunday, October 21, 2007
BRUNEI'S literacy rate according to the latest statistics is more than 94 per cent, making it one of the highest in the world. Yet, barely a century ago, there was hardly anyone in Brunei who could read or write the romanised characters though there were some who could read the Al-Quran.
Brunei's western mode education system was introduced only a few years after the establishment of the British Residency. The first British Resident was in Brunei in 1906 following the 1906 Agreement between Brunei and the United Kingdom. At that time, the education system in Brunei was along the line of religious education with "sekolah pondok" and students being taught the rudiments of the Islamic religion as well as how to read the Al-Quran.
It was not until 1911 that the British Resident was able to introduce a western education system. It was not because education did not play an important role for the government but it was because of the lack of funds as well as the lack of available Bruneians who would be able to become the first teachers. Between 1906 and 1910, the budgets were in deficit and it was only in 1911 that the budget showed a small surplus.
It was also thought that the introduction of a western style education so soon after the British Residency would be quite sensitive to the Brunei population then.
In 1914, the first Brunei school was built. It was a Malay vernacular school built in Brunei Town. At first the school operated from a mosque before it moved to a building which was formerly occupied by the Monopoly Office. The first group of students was made up of 30 boys.
By 1915, that number has increased to 40 boys. Another school was established in Muara with a Malay Teacher teaching at his own house. The other districts got their first schools in the next three years. In Belait, the first Malay school, the third in the country, was built in 1917. In Tutong, it was built in 1918.
The first crop of these schools was absorbed into the government as trainees by 1917 and full time government servants by 1920. Some of these students were also sent to attend short teaching courses at a Teachers' Training College in Malacca in 1919.
However despite the government's efforts, many parents did not want to send their children to schools. Even though there were shortages of teachers and shortages of school buildings, there were also shortages of willing parents. Most of the boys who attended were from the upper class and very few from the village commoners. Most parents refused to send their daughters to school.
As described by one mother who only attended up to Primary 2, her mother and her aunt told her that there was no point for her to have the ability to read and write: she would just waste that writing love letters to boys. Some parents feared that sending daughters would be a waste as they would end up as housewives anyway.
Nevertheless, the need for education was slowly being accepted by the masses. The Chinese community established their own school in 1916. In 1925, the villagers at Kampong Kilanas asked for a school to be built in their area and it was built the year after.
The education provided was free but the curriculum was not geared towards anything other than basic general education.
Education in these early vernacular schools was quite limited. Most of the education was conducted in Malay for boys aged between seven and fourteen years. The curriculum consisted of Reading and Writing (in both Jawi and Roman script), Composition, Arithmetic, Geography, History, Hygiene, Drawing and Physical Education. Gardening and Basketry were later introduced at some schools.
The government report of 1928 noted that "the curriculum of these schools is based on that of the vernacular schools in Malaya and all teaching is in the Malay language nothing is taught which will tend to drive Malays from their agriculturist pursuits". The education provided only enabled the students to fill in the lower government posts. Despite that the government continued to pursue better education for all.
In 1926 an education inspector (known as Nazir) was appointed. Teachers were also being trained at the Sultan Idris Teacher Training College in Tanjung Malim, Malaysia.
In order to encourage parents to send their children to school, limited compulsory attendance was introduced in 1929 via the School Attendance Enactment (No 3 of 1929). The Brunei Town area was the only location immediately affected. It was introduced in Kuala Belait in 1933.
The government continued to have a tough task in getting girls to school. One government report in 1933 noted that "apart from government servants few Malays like the idea of their girls attending schools it is hoped, however, that slow progress will be made against the wall of conservatism it must be remembered that purdah has a much stronger hold in Brunei than in the Federated Malay States".
Yet, by the outbreak of World War II in 1941, there were 312 girls among 1,746 pupils. The number of schools in Brunei had increased to 32 which included 24 Vernacular Malay, 3 private English and 5 private Chinese.
After the war, there was a number of shortages. In Brunei Town, some students described their school as having no paper and no furniture. Every time they had to write something, they will be using a slab which would be wiped clean every time they have covered the slab. The students would be on the floor lying prone facing downwards writing on their slabs. Their pencils would be an inch stub scavenged from the Australian army camp. To make the pencils longer, the students used empty bullet casing fitted in at the end of the pencils.
There was much reconstruction after the war. In October 1951 a Brunei Town Government English school was opened, followed by the opening of another in Kuala Belait the following year. In less than three years, the Government was able to introduce English- medium secondary education to the country. By 1966, the Government also started Malay medium secondary education.
In 1954 Brunei embarked on a five year Development Plan for education. New schools were planned. Many teachers were trained and expatriates employed as additional teachers in the schools.
By the completion of that Plan in 1959, there were 15,006 pupils enrolled in the State's schools, 30 per cent of whom were girls. There were 52 Malay primary schools; 3 English schools (including one exclusively for girls that had been completed in 1958); 7 mission schools; 8 Chinese primary schools and 3 Chinese secondary schools. In addition, there were 133 Bruneians at teacher training colleges overseas, and many at Brunei's own college that had opened in 1956.
In August 1969, following a Brunei Youth Council seminar on education which focused on the needs and importance of having a national education policy; an Education Commission was established in 1970. The 1972 Commission Report was adopted by the government and this formed the basis for the present education policy as well as the basic organisation of the present Ministry of Education. An Education Council was established and the recommendation of the use of Malay as the main medium of instruction. Though by 1984, a bilingual education policy — dwibahasa — was introduced.
Today there are more than 110,000 students in the Brunei Education System with more than 270 education establishments throughout the country. Education is provided free up to university level and beyond for Brunei citizens. The education provided is expected to produce Bruneians who are able to play their part in the present day knowledge-based economy and yet, at the same, remain imbued with strong Islamic and Malay values.
A second university has just been established and the religious teacher training college has also been upgraded to be a university college.
Brunei's Education Philosophy is founded on the National Philosophy of a Malay Islamic Monarchy and incorporated the two key elements of naqli (on the basis of the holy Quran and Hadith) and aqli (on the basis of reasoning).
These two elements are essential in the development of individuals to their fullest potential, thereby bringing forth people who are knowledgeable, skillful, faithful, pious, and of excellent character which are fundamental in the realisation and emergence of a national identity based on the national philosophy as well as Islamic teachings in accordance with Ahli Sunnah Wal-Jamaah.
How times indeed have changed when just a 100 years ago, hardly anyone in Brunei could read.
The writer runs a website on Brunei at bruneiresources.com
The Brunei Times
________________________________________
Source URL:
http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/life/2007/10/21/brunei_education_system_one_of_the_best
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Getting the most out of foreign exchange reserves
Getting the most out of foreign exchange reserves
Cao Huining and Liu Jin
Thursday, September 27, 2007
IT HAS been reported that China Investment Co, the long-awaited State forex investment company that is expected to make better use of the country's huge foreign exchange reserves, will be inaugurated tomorrow.
After three decades of robust and continuous economic growth, the country has accumulated US$1.3 trillion of foreign exchange reserves. This is about half of China's annual gross domestic product (GDP), which means every two percentage points of revenue from the foreign exchange reserves equals one percentage point of growth in GDP.
Information about the reserve's investment portfolio is not available to the public, though research indicates a big proportion of its funds are in the global bond market, especially in US bonds. Before 2004, the reserve's assets were primarily invested in US treasury and mortgage bonds. Corporate bonds gained more attention after 2004.
Compared with other financial assets, especially shares, bonds are less risky — and less rewarding. Putting the country's forex reserves into the bond market was fine when the reserves were small. The wisdom of this stance becomes questionable once the forex reserves exceed the amount needed for trade settlements.
Past experience proves that a stock-centred investment portfolio is much more rewarding than a bond-centred one. In the last century, the annual difference in returns between the two portfolios was between five and eight per cent in the US and around three per cent in Europe and Japan.
Given the gigantic size of China's forex reserves, the country could expect to see its returns increase by the equivalent of about 1.5 per cent of GDP if the investment portfolio became more stock-centred.
Switching the portfolio's focus would be worth a try despite the higher risks involved with stock investments. The newly established forex investment firm is obviously a pilot step in this direction.
During the transitional period, the key issue will be what kind of financial assets are worth investing in.
All non-bond financial assets fall into categories of shares of listed companies and equities of private firms. The stock of listed companies is more liquid and transparent, so it is relatively more expensive. The equities of private firms are less costly, less liquid and less transparent, but more rewarding in the long run.
An institutional investor will generally include both of them in its portfolio, with different proportions of each. So which one should the investors of China's forex funds favour — shares on the stock exchange or the equities of private firms? In other words, the investors will have to choose between acting like a mutual fund manager and a venture capital runner hunting for private equity.
Judging from several recent developments, the authorities seem to prefer private equities. This is understandable because China is a green hand when it comes to investing funds from the foreign exchange reserves. Moreover, there is a successful example to learn from: Temasek Holdings in Singapore.
Set up in 1974, Temasek Holdings oversees the investments of the Singapore government. Its average annual rate of return in the last three decades has been 18 per cent, much higher than the annual growth of the stock market. By the end of last year, the company was managing $100 billion worth of assets, about 83 per cent of Singapore's GDP for the year.
Temasek Holdings operates like a venture capital firm. It makes its investment decisions only after extensive research. As of last month, Temasek Holdings was the majority shareholder in more than 20 companies in the banking and telecommunications sectors, among others, in countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia.
However, while Temasek Holdings' successes are remarkable, its experiences are not suitable for China to copy at this moment.
As is typical for venture capitalists, Temasek Holdings' huge rewards came after facing big risks.
Temasek Holdings succeeded in most of its investment projects because of its unique access to information. About 40 per cent of its investments were made within Singapore, and the rest were mostly in neighbouring countries. It is not hard for Temasek Holdings to acquire the information it needs to make investment decisions.
Singapore's economy has been closely integrated into the global economy ever since the country was founded. The people at Temasek have been able to draw on their country's rich trade experiences.
When China uses funds from its forex reserves to invest, it will have to venture out into global financial markets. However, the Chinese are far from experienced in the global market.
It is important to maintain a certain level of liquidity in the forex reserves. If the funds are put into private firms, it will be hard to convert them back to cash when needed without suffering big losses. So it is improper for the forex investment body to copy Temasek Holdings.
Therefore, the stock of listed companies is a better choice for China as it goes in search of bigger rewards by investing funds from its foreign exchange reserves.
To manage the risks involved in trading on the stock market, the forex investment body could choose a global stock market index mutual fund as their primary investment target.
An index fund would be a good target for the forex investment body because investing in them does not require experience, talent or access to information to make an investment decision.
By tracking a package of shares, such funds dilute the risks as much as possible. And index funds are also the most liquid and least costly of all mutual funds, raising the long-term returns of the forex investment.
Simply put, targeting index funds is the best strategy for China at this moment, as it faces the many possible ways to construct its investment portfolio.
Cao Huining is a professor with the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, and Liu Jin is a professor with the University of California
China Daily/ANN
Cao Huining and Liu Jin
Thursday, September 27, 2007
IT HAS been reported that China Investment Co, the long-awaited State forex investment company that is expected to make better use of the country's huge foreign exchange reserves, will be inaugurated tomorrow.
After three decades of robust and continuous economic growth, the country has accumulated US$1.3 trillion of foreign exchange reserves. This is about half of China's annual gross domestic product (GDP), which means every two percentage points of revenue from the foreign exchange reserves equals one percentage point of growth in GDP.
Information about the reserve's investment portfolio is not available to the public, though research indicates a big proportion of its funds are in the global bond market, especially in US bonds. Before 2004, the reserve's assets were primarily invested in US treasury and mortgage bonds. Corporate bonds gained more attention after 2004.
Compared with other financial assets, especially shares, bonds are less risky — and less rewarding. Putting the country's forex reserves into the bond market was fine when the reserves were small. The wisdom of this stance becomes questionable once the forex reserves exceed the amount needed for trade settlements.
Past experience proves that a stock-centred investment portfolio is much more rewarding than a bond-centred one. In the last century, the annual difference in returns between the two portfolios was between five and eight per cent in the US and around three per cent in Europe and Japan.
Given the gigantic size of China's forex reserves, the country could expect to see its returns increase by the equivalent of about 1.5 per cent of GDP if the investment portfolio became more stock-centred.
Switching the portfolio's focus would be worth a try despite the higher risks involved with stock investments. The newly established forex investment firm is obviously a pilot step in this direction.
During the transitional period, the key issue will be what kind of financial assets are worth investing in.
All non-bond financial assets fall into categories of shares of listed companies and equities of private firms. The stock of listed companies is more liquid and transparent, so it is relatively more expensive. The equities of private firms are less costly, less liquid and less transparent, but more rewarding in the long run.
An institutional investor will generally include both of them in its portfolio, with different proportions of each. So which one should the investors of China's forex funds favour — shares on the stock exchange or the equities of private firms? In other words, the investors will have to choose between acting like a mutual fund manager and a venture capital runner hunting for private equity.
Judging from several recent developments, the authorities seem to prefer private equities. This is understandable because China is a green hand when it comes to investing funds from the foreign exchange reserves. Moreover, there is a successful example to learn from: Temasek Holdings in Singapore.
Set up in 1974, Temasek Holdings oversees the investments of the Singapore government. Its average annual rate of return in the last three decades has been 18 per cent, much higher than the annual growth of the stock market. By the end of last year, the company was managing $100 billion worth of assets, about 83 per cent of Singapore's GDP for the year.
Temasek Holdings operates like a venture capital firm. It makes its investment decisions only after extensive research. As of last month, Temasek Holdings was the majority shareholder in more than 20 companies in the banking and telecommunications sectors, among others, in countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia.
However, while Temasek Holdings' successes are remarkable, its experiences are not suitable for China to copy at this moment.
As is typical for venture capitalists, Temasek Holdings' huge rewards came after facing big risks.
Temasek Holdings succeeded in most of its investment projects because of its unique access to information. About 40 per cent of its investments were made within Singapore, and the rest were mostly in neighbouring countries. It is not hard for Temasek Holdings to acquire the information it needs to make investment decisions.
Singapore's economy has been closely integrated into the global economy ever since the country was founded. The people at Temasek have been able to draw on their country's rich trade experiences.
When China uses funds from its forex reserves to invest, it will have to venture out into global financial markets. However, the Chinese are far from experienced in the global market.
It is important to maintain a certain level of liquidity in the forex reserves. If the funds are put into private firms, it will be hard to convert them back to cash when needed without suffering big losses. So it is improper for the forex investment body to copy Temasek Holdings.
Therefore, the stock of listed companies is a better choice for China as it goes in search of bigger rewards by investing funds from its foreign exchange reserves.
To manage the risks involved in trading on the stock market, the forex investment body could choose a global stock market index mutual fund as their primary investment target.
An index fund would be a good target for the forex investment body because investing in them does not require experience, talent or access to information to make an investment decision.
By tracking a package of shares, such funds dilute the risks as much as possible. And index funds are also the most liquid and least costly of all mutual funds, raising the long-term returns of the forex investment.
Simply put, targeting index funds is the best strategy for China at this moment, as it faces the many possible ways to construct its investment portfolio.
Cao Huining is a professor with the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, and Liu Jin is a professor with the University of California
China Daily/ANN
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Economic Growth Not Fast Enough, Say VC
Economic Growth Not Fast Enough, Say VC
By Shareen Han
Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei's economy is not expanding fast enough to provide sufficient jobs for university graduates, said Universiti Brunei Darussalam's vice-chancellor.
It is a demand and supply problem, and some graduates are not willing to work in the private sector because they know that there are more benefits in the public sector, Dato Paduka Dr Hj Ismail Hj Duraman told The Brunei Times in a telephone interview yesterday.
"In the minds of locals, the private sector cannot compete with the public sector because it has more benefits compared to other countries that have a tax system," he said.
He said most locals need to "tackle their attitude first", in order to make the implementation of national policies more effective in the long term.
"It is a paradox that locals are not taking up the jobs, but foreign workers are taking it instead," he said.
One of the reasons why employers hire foreign workers is because they are cheaper and locals are too selective in choosing jobs which are mostly filled up by foreign labour, he said.
Moreover, some of the unemployed locals may come from well-to-do families, so they would rather enjoy life with their families, he said.
"There is no simple solution, a concerted effort by everyone is needed," he said, adding that graduates should be more proactive and take up any available job opportunities, including apprenticeship programmes.
"The attitude will only change when a crisis arises, because there is no shocking factor at the moment that they need to make a drastic change as the oil and gas is still there," he added.
The vice-chancellor said that one of UBD's roles is to equip students with the knowledge and skills, but employers are always looking for "something extra" in workplaces.
"Thus, I made the speech (at the 19th convocation ceremony) to graduates that they need to bring added value to the organisation that they work for," he said.
Dato Ismail also noted that UBD is currently doing research on unemployment in Brunei because the statistics that are currently available may not be accurate and regularly updated. There are 313 local jobseekers that fall under the technical, vocational and university graduates category, based on figures from the Labour Department for the month of June.-- Courtesy of The Brunei Times
By Shareen Han
Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei's economy is not expanding fast enough to provide sufficient jobs for university graduates, said Universiti Brunei Darussalam's vice-chancellor.
It is a demand and supply problem, and some graduates are not willing to work in the private sector because they know that there are more benefits in the public sector, Dato Paduka Dr Hj Ismail Hj Duraman told The Brunei Times in a telephone interview yesterday.
"In the minds of locals, the private sector cannot compete with the public sector because it has more benefits compared to other countries that have a tax system," he said.
He said most locals need to "tackle their attitude first", in order to make the implementation of national policies more effective in the long term.
"It is a paradox that locals are not taking up the jobs, but foreign workers are taking it instead," he said.
One of the reasons why employers hire foreign workers is because they are cheaper and locals are too selective in choosing jobs which are mostly filled up by foreign labour, he said.
Moreover, some of the unemployed locals may come from well-to-do families, so they would rather enjoy life with their families, he said.
"There is no simple solution, a concerted effort by everyone is needed," he said, adding that graduates should be more proactive and take up any available job opportunities, including apprenticeship programmes.
"The attitude will only change when a crisis arises, because there is no shocking factor at the moment that they need to make a drastic change as the oil and gas is still there," he added.
The vice-chancellor said that one of UBD's roles is to equip students with the knowledge and skills, but employers are always looking for "something extra" in workplaces.
"Thus, I made the speech (at the 19th convocation ceremony) to graduates that they need to bring added value to the organisation that they work for," he said.
Dato Ismail also noted that UBD is currently doing research on unemployment in Brunei because the statistics that are currently available may not be accurate and regularly updated. There are 313 local jobseekers that fall under the technical, vocational and university graduates category, based on figures from the Labour Department for the month of June.-- Courtesy of The Brunei Times
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
School wants agriculture students to be tech savvy
School wants agriculture students to be tech savvy
BRUNEI-MUARA
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
THE Wasan Vocational School received its second intake with a renewed pledge to churn out vocational graduates "capable of handling the latest technologies in agriculture", despite lacking qualified teachers.
The Kampung Wasan institution, which is in its second year of operation, is pushing onward with the introduction of a new course as it welcomed 60 new students into their post-secondary programmes.
Deputy Permanent Secretary (Corporate Services) of Education Hjh Norjum Hj Mohd Yusop told the students that they "should feel fortunate and proud to be chosen for the offered programmes", as many other students under the Secondary Vocational Programme (PMV) did not have the chance to further their education at technical and vocational institutions due to limited vacancies. PMV is offered as an alternative course to upper secondary education, for students who wish to enter the vocational and technical stream.
She went on to explain that the local agriculture industry held much potential for development, and thus expressed the Ministry of Education's hopes that the school concerned "would establish strategic partnerships to identify promising fields in agriculture to be integrated as quality programmes."
Wasan Vocational School's principal, Hj Mohd Zamri Hj Sabli, stated that his institution's main challenge was "a lack of qualified educators", but that the Ministry of Education was working to resolve the issue. He also said that there were plans to broaden the school's current levels to include National Diploma courses in "relevant and needed" fields.
The new students, who hail from all four districts, embarked on their first day of a five-day orientation week yesterday. They are enrolled in the school's National Trade Certificate Grade 3 (NTC3) Programmes, namely Crop Production, Fish Husbandry and the recently-added Basic Food Processing. The first intake totalled 40 students, who were evenly distributed between Crop Production and Fish Husbandry.
Each programme entails a year of study and three to six months in an industrial placement.
"I believe that the advancement of technology will force us to keep up to date with our knowledge, especially in the fields of high-tech agriculture, such as gene manipulation, genetic transfer and biotechnology," said Hj Mohd Zamri.
He also said that local perceptions of agriculture needed to change.
"If we still consider (agriculture) as just ploughing soil and working in scorching heat, then I believe we will not progress or achieve self-sustenance in agriculture," he added.
The principal concluded by articulating on his ambition of making the school a "focal point" for producing skilled graduates capable familiar with the latest technologies, towards the goal of raising local agricultural production.
For the rest of orientation week, the new intake will be participating in activities led by various government and private agencies such as the Counselling and Career Section from the Ministry of Education, the Da'wah Islamiah Centre, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and local bank Taib.
First intake student Salfatinah bte Md Salleh, 18, who reads Fish Husbandry at the institution, expressed her support of the idea. "If given the opportunity from the school, I wish to continue and achieve a National Diploma," she added.
An administrator admitted that most of the students had trouble with staying outdoors and being under the sun for long periods of time but gradually they got used to it and became more and more interested in the courses that they were offered.
The Brunei Times
BRUNEI-MUARA
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
THE Wasan Vocational School received its second intake with a renewed pledge to churn out vocational graduates "capable of handling the latest technologies in agriculture", despite lacking qualified teachers.
The Kampung Wasan institution, which is in its second year of operation, is pushing onward with the introduction of a new course as it welcomed 60 new students into their post-secondary programmes.
Deputy Permanent Secretary (Corporate Services) of Education Hjh Norjum Hj Mohd Yusop told the students that they "should feel fortunate and proud to be chosen for the offered programmes", as many other students under the Secondary Vocational Programme (PMV) did not have the chance to further their education at technical and vocational institutions due to limited vacancies. PMV is offered as an alternative course to upper secondary education, for students who wish to enter the vocational and technical stream.
She went on to explain that the local agriculture industry held much potential for development, and thus expressed the Ministry of Education's hopes that the school concerned "would establish strategic partnerships to identify promising fields in agriculture to be integrated as quality programmes."
Wasan Vocational School's principal, Hj Mohd Zamri Hj Sabli, stated that his institution's main challenge was "a lack of qualified educators", but that the Ministry of Education was working to resolve the issue. He also said that there were plans to broaden the school's current levels to include National Diploma courses in "relevant and needed" fields.
The new students, who hail from all four districts, embarked on their first day of a five-day orientation week yesterday. They are enrolled in the school's National Trade Certificate Grade 3 (NTC3) Programmes, namely Crop Production, Fish Husbandry and the recently-added Basic Food Processing. The first intake totalled 40 students, who were evenly distributed between Crop Production and Fish Husbandry.
Each programme entails a year of study and three to six months in an industrial placement.
"I believe that the advancement of technology will force us to keep up to date with our knowledge, especially in the fields of high-tech agriculture, such as gene manipulation, genetic transfer and biotechnology," said Hj Mohd Zamri.
He also said that local perceptions of agriculture needed to change.
"If we still consider (agriculture) as just ploughing soil and working in scorching heat, then I believe we will not progress or achieve self-sustenance in agriculture," he added.
The principal concluded by articulating on his ambition of making the school a "focal point" for producing skilled graduates capable familiar with the latest technologies, towards the goal of raising local agricultural production.
For the rest of orientation week, the new intake will be participating in activities led by various government and private agencies such as the Counselling and Career Section from the Ministry of Education, the Da'wah Islamiah Centre, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and local bank Taib.
First intake student Salfatinah bte Md Salleh, 18, who reads Fish Husbandry at the institution, expressed her support of the idea. "If given the opportunity from the school, I wish to continue and achieve a National Diploma," she added.
An administrator admitted that most of the students had trouble with staying outdoors and being under the sun for long periods of time but gradually they got used to it and became more and more interested in the courses that they were offered.
The Brunei Times
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Before the oil, it was coal
Before the oil, it was coal
Rozan Yunos
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Saturday, April 14, 2007
SINCE the discovery of oil in 1929, Brunei Darussalam had been known as an oil-exporting country to the point that it is almost impossible to remember a time when Brunei had to rely on other exports.
Believe it or not, there have been many exports in the past. Our famous camphor was one, others were timber, cutch, rubber and surprisingly, coal.
Coal was reportedly first found in the Kianggeh river as early as 1837, attracting the attention of Americans.
In 1841, the American ship "Constitution" arrived in Brunei Town to negotiate a treaty of commerce and friendship but the offer was refused.
The coal mine at Kianggeh was later operated by Pengiran Yusof and from 1846 to 1883, the Brunei coal deposits remained unexploited except for local consumption.
Coal played an important role in the world economy before oil. Steamships, trains and the engines for the industrial revolution in Europe relied on coal for their fuel.
In fact the discovery of coal in Labuan in 1844 led to the British decision to annex the island from Brunei with their gunboat diplomacy forcing the Sultan to sign the agreement.
However, it was in Serai Pimping, Muara that coal was mined extensively. The Muara coalmine was first mined commercially in 1883, when William Cowie was given the concession rights to mine the coal in exchange for $1,200 per year.
However, Cowie later sold his rights to Rajah Charles Brooke and the Rajah renamed the mine Brooketon (Brooke Town).
Between the years of 1889 and 1924, it was operated by the Sarawak government.
At first the mine was opencast the early miners used changkul (hoes), shovels and hammers the method is simple but very slow and unproductive. With increasing demand, the operation expanded underground.
Brooketon Colliery was strategic as it was very near to Muara where there is a safe deep-water anchorage to which the mine was connected via rail.
With the more sophisticated mining methods, railways, wharfs and other advanced equipment were needed.
A rail line that connected Brooketon in Serai Pimping was built. Muara itself also grew. Before the mine, Muara was a small hamlet occupied by fishermen but by 1911, more than 1,447 people lived in Muara and some 30 shops had opened.
Politically too, even though he only had economic rights, Brooke became the "ruler" of the area.
The mine employed hundreds of miners and that required him to introduce a police force, post office and roads transforming Muara into an "extraterritorial" settlement an extension of Sarawak. It was not until 1921 that Muara was "returned" to Brunei.
The Brooketon Colliery closed down in 1924 because of heavy financial losses caused by continuously decreasing coal prices in the world economic recession as well as the discovery and search for oil to replace coal.
The Muara coal mine opened for a short while during the Japanese occupation in the Second World War but production was limited for local consumption only.
Recently the Museums Department announced that it wanted to turn the historical 62-hectare coal mine as an open site museum to promote the country's eco-tourism.
The Brooketon coalmine is currently already a protected site under the Antiquities and Treasure Trove Act.
Maybe one day, Brunei can mine the coal again. In the meantime, it is being kept as one of Brunei's treasures and legacy for the future. After the discovery of oil, Bruneians seem to forget how lucky we are and how rich our country is.
While we have the oil and the natural gas but, in terms of natural resources, we also have the silica sand, the peat which can be converted into energy, the coal, the methane gas and the trees. In the old days, these natural resources had made Bruneians great traders trading our goods far and wide.
Unfortunately we seemed to have lost that skill with most of us now preferring to be civil servants, sitting down in air-conditioned rooms and pushing papers.
The Brunei Times
Rozan Yunos
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Saturday, April 14, 2007
SINCE the discovery of oil in 1929, Brunei Darussalam had been known as an oil-exporting country to the point that it is almost impossible to remember a time when Brunei had to rely on other exports.
Believe it or not, there have been many exports in the past. Our famous camphor was one, others were timber, cutch, rubber and surprisingly, coal.
Coal was reportedly first found in the Kianggeh river as early as 1837, attracting the attention of Americans.
In 1841, the American ship "Constitution" arrived in Brunei Town to negotiate a treaty of commerce and friendship but the offer was refused.
The coal mine at Kianggeh was later operated by Pengiran Yusof and from 1846 to 1883, the Brunei coal deposits remained unexploited except for local consumption.
Coal played an important role in the world economy before oil. Steamships, trains and the engines for the industrial revolution in Europe relied on coal for their fuel.
In fact the discovery of coal in Labuan in 1844 led to the British decision to annex the island from Brunei with their gunboat diplomacy forcing the Sultan to sign the agreement.
However, it was in Serai Pimping, Muara that coal was mined extensively. The Muara coalmine was first mined commercially in 1883, when William Cowie was given the concession rights to mine the coal in exchange for $1,200 per year.
However, Cowie later sold his rights to Rajah Charles Brooke and the Rajah renamed the mine Brooketon (Brooke Town).
Between the years of 1889 and 1924, it was operated by the Sarawak government.
At first the mine was opencast the early miners used changkul (hoes), shovels and hammers the method is simple but very slow and unproductive. With increasing demand, the operation expanded underground.
Brooketon Colliery was strategic as it was very near to Muara where there is a safe deep-water anchorage to which the mine was connected via rail.
With the more sophisticated mining methods, railways, wharfs and other advanced equipment were needed.
A rail line that connected Brooketon in Serai Pimping was built. Muara itself also grew. Before the mine, Muara was a small hamlet occupied by fishermen but by 1911, more than 1,447 people lived in Muara and some 30 shops had opened.
Politically too, even though he only had economic rights, Brooke became the "ruler" of the area.
The mine employed hundreds of miners and that required him to introduce a police force, post office and roads transforming Muara into an "extraterritorial" settlement an extension of Sarawak. It was not until 1921 that Muara was "returned" to Brunei.
The Brooketon Colliery closed down in 1924 because of heavy financial losses caused by continuously decreasing coal prices in the world economic recession as well as the discovery and search for oil to replace coal.
The Muara coal mine opened for a short while during the Japanese occupation in the Second World War but production was limited for local consumption only.
Recently the Museums Department announced that it wanted to turn the historical 62-hectare coal mine as an open site museum to promote the country's eco-tourism.
The Brooketon coalmine is currently already a protected site under the Antiquities and Treasure Trove Act.
Maybe one day, Brunei can mine the coal again. In the meantime, it is being kept as one of Brunei's treasures and legacy for the future. After the discovery of oil, Bruneians seem to forget how lucky we are and how rich our country is.
While we have the oil and the natural gas but, in terms of natural resources, we also have the silica sand, the peat which can be converted into energy, the coal, the methane gas and the trees. In the old days, these natural resources had made Bruneians great traders trading our goods far and wide.
Unfortunately we seemed to have lost that skill with most of us now preferring to be civil servants, sitting down in air-conditioned rooms and pushing papers.
The Brunei Times
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