Bandar Seri Begawan - Twenty youths from Singapore are taking part in an adventure camp here in Brunei as part of the Ministry of Education`s drive to raise the younger generation`s awareness and appreciation for culture, traditions and the natural environment.
The students, accompanied by 20 local students from schools throughout the country, will hopefully be able to take the camp as an excellent way to develop new skills and appreciation along with making friends and cooperation with other countries, said the Permanent Secretary (core education) of the Ministry of Education Datin Paduka Apsah Hj Abdul Majid.
Darin Paduka Apsah noted that through the week long outdoor experience, the students from both countries can nurture their full potential for becoming future leaders as the unique exposure will enable them to inculcate a collective responsibility in caring for the environment as well as give them the opportunity to build their characters.
Quoting the camp theme "This is Where the Friendship Blooms" the permanent secretary said she is hoping that the meeting will be able to show the participants that people everywhere have similar dreams and fears even where traditions and customs may vary.
She also said that the experience, based on last year`s camp which was first introduced to the two countries and hosted by Singapore, the participants will be able to cultivate a new sense of confidence and community as they put to test new found skills and encourage their peers to meet the same challenges that they will have to go through.
The Brunei-Singapore Adventure Camp 2008, which is hosted by the Brunei Ministry of Education at the Wasan Vocational School this year, will run for seven days until December 7.
Participants are scheduled to go through a series of activities designed to introduce and familiarize themselves with the Brunei tradition, economy, culture and people, similar to the camp that was held in Singapore last year which showed Brunei students the Singapore way of life.
Among the activities planned out for the week by the organizers include a trip to the Wasan Paddy Fields, Tasek Merimbun Recreational Park, an Ambulong Factory and a trip to Temburong where they will witness the processing of a local malay dessert namely wajid.
Bruneian Students camp coordinator Cikgu Norsuzilawati Ahmad said that the experience gained by last year`s students showed positive results as they seemed more confident and outgoing compared to before when they started especially in meeting new people.
Singaporean camp coordinator from the Singapore Ministry of Education, Kuang Yoke Wei, agreed to her comments saying that the Bruneian students in last year`s event started out slow but in the end were much more open, enthusiastic and even more interested much like their Singaporean counterparts. By Syed Rory Malai Hassan
Source:
http://www.brudirect.com (December 01, 2008)
