Bandar Seri Begawan - Micronet International College yesterday launched Brunei Darussalam Technical and Vocational Education Council's (BDTVEC's) Higher National Diploma in Computing at the Business Centre, Empire Hotel and Country Club in Jerudong. Present as the guest of honour was Deputy Minister of Education Pengiran Dato Dr Haji Mohammad bin Pengiran Haji Abdul Rahman.

 

Also in attendance were Education Ministry's Acting Permanent Secretary Dyg Apsah bte Haji Abd Majid and Deputy Permanent Secretary Awg Hj Md Daud bin Hj Mahmud, as well as Director of Technical Education Awg Jamal bin Hj Kahar and Director of Institute Technology Brunei Dr Awg Hj Kassim bin Hj Mohd Daud.

The guest of honour, in his speech, highlighted the importance of new technology in raising the quality of education.

 

"The use of ICT (information and communications technology) in education can potentially enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of teaching. This helps the country to build up a pool of well-trained and skilled labour to meet the demands of both public and private sectors. "Second is the availability of Internet resources to support teaching and learning within our education institutions. ICT provides opportunities to our students to make full use of the Internet in their studies. The Ministry of Education expects the youth of the country to go forward by availing themselves of these opportunities."

 

The deputy minister also emphasised on the benefits of ICT, especially the Internet, in aiding educators in their development of teaching and learning processes. He identified the opportunities created by ICT, such as productive exchange of knowledge and promotion of human progress that may assist computer-literate students, a valuable resource of human progress and development, to compete amid the age of information and knowledge. He also said the major responsibility of the education sector is to develop the country's human resources for sustained socio-economic growth and development. Therefore, efforts are made to ensure the development of relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes among today's youths. This enables them to cope with the challenges of rapid changing scientific and technological world while compete in the global economy.