Monday, December 08, 2008'♥
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Students learn leadership the natural way[1st Dec]
By Lyna Mohamad and Hj Minor Absah
The Permanent Secretary (Core Education) at Ministry of Education, Datin Paduka Dyg Hjh Apsah Hj Abd Majid, in her opening speech pinned her hopes that by the end of the weeklong Brunei-Singapore Adventure Camp 2008, its participants will be more confident, positive-minded and have a better appreciation of both culture and tradition.
"Most important of all, you should be able to show your fullest potential as future leaders through this nurturing and, as Noel Tichy quotes, 'You don't nurture leadership in classrooms', the powerful conveyance of this quote shows that it is essential that youngsters should go through this unique exposure," Dayg Hjh Apsah said.
She added that it is also vital to inculcate a collective responsibility to care for the natural environment, whereby the outdoor experience is crucial in building characters, as they will be looked upon as future leaders.
Speaking at the opening of the adventure camp, the permanent secretary also hoped that through, "meeting and getting to know each other, the participants would discover that people everywhere have similar dreams and fear even when traditions and customs may vary".
"In effect, the camp should widen your horizon and move beyond your boundaries as well as creating your adventure spirit," she added.
Highlighting the friendship amongst them and the close connection between both countries, Dyg Hjh Apsah underscored that the fostering of friendship will continue to be shared with others and that the experience and knowledge gained shall act as the building blocks for continued peace.
Participants, she further noted, would also grow in confidence as they get the chance to put newly acquired skills to the test in order to develop a sense of community as they encourage their peers to meet the same challenges they are facing.
The Brunei-Singapore Adventure Camp 2008, which carries the theme "This is Where Friendship Blooms", is a continuation of the invitational camp last year in Singapore, where 20 students from each country, along with their supervising teachers participated.
Sultanate and Singaporean adventure students begin six-day camp [1st Dec]
By Rosli Abidin Yahya
The S'porean participants being greeted upon arrival at the airport
Posing for a group photo. Photos: Rosli Abidin Yahya
Twenty Secondary School students from Singapore that comprising five boys and 15 girls arrived in Brunei yesterday afternoon to join 20 of their local counterparts for a six-day Brunei-Singapore Adventure Camp 2008, which will run until December 5, to promote international understanding, collaboration and bonding.
They were greeted on arrival by last year's student participants, of a similar camp that was held in Singapore, who have now been promoted as trainer-guides for this year's camp, as well as supervising teachers, and Education Ministry and Singapore High Commission officials.
After their arrival, the Singaporean students, accompanied by four of their teachers, as well as their local trainer/guides and local supervising teachers boarded waiting buses to take them to the Wasan Vocational School, which will be the participants' home for activities conducted in and around Brunei-Muara District.
At the school, the Singaporean students met with their local student counterparts participating in the adventure camp for an official opening ceremony as well as an ice-breaking session. The local student participants comprise 10 boys and 10 girls that have been selected from secondary schools nationwide.
Today, the camp participants will explore Kampong Ayer as well as visit historical sites around Bandar Seri Begawan.
Tomorrow morning, the participants are scheduled to participate in padi farming activities at Wasan's padi fields. Sometime later in the afternoon, the students will go trekking along Bukit Shahbandar.
On Wednesday, the adventure campers will go on an exploration of the Tasek Merimbun Reserve Forest and see how sago is processed into 'ambuyat', a local delicacy. Later that evening, the students will get to sample 'ambuyat' for dinner and play traditional games.
Temburong will be the venue for their activities on Thursday at the National Park and the Kampong Amo Longhouse, where they will be spending the night at the Bangar Rest House in the district.
The following day, they will be taken for a tour to see the making of two popular traditional delicacies 'wajid' and 'cendol', before attending the closing ceremony of the adventure camp later that same evening.
One of the objectives of the adventure camp is to forge new friendships across national borders through various team-building games and outdoor activities. The camp also serves to educate students on the need to conserve the natural environment, to preserve its biodiversity and the need to preserve the cultural heritage of one's country through nature activities.
Student exchanges through the adventure camp is a key area of cooperation in the Memorandums of Understanding on Educational Cooperation that were concluded between Brunei's and Singapore's Education Ministries in February 2006.
Singapore students visit Brunei's cultural, natural heritage [3rd Dec]
By Azaraimy HH
The visiting students at the paddy field in Kg Wasan.
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Students from both countries work in teams during a game activity at Tasek Merimbun. - PHOTOS: AZARAIMY HH
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Brunei and Singapore students playing 'Kayu-Tiga'.
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Twenty Singaporean students visited the paddy field in Kampong Wasan recently.
The students joined by 20 other local students, are here for a six-day friendship camp, entitled Brunei-Singapore Adventure Camp 2008.
Besides visiting the paddy field, the students also hiked at the Bukit Shahbandar.
Included in the programme in the coming days in Brunei are witnessing sago processing in Tutong, eating ambuyat, participating in challenging activities at Temburong National Park, visiting Kg Amo Longhouse in Temburong, watching the manufacturing of traditional food of wajid and cendol in Temburong and many more.
Yesterday, the students visited the Tasek Merimbun.
Separated by the South China Sea, there are much to learn about each other, the students said, both in terms of culture and its geography. The students told the Bulletin that they had so far enjoyed their programme here in Brunei, adding that Brunei has so many unexpected surprises.
Throughout the camping, students from both sides will interact and take part in team-building adventure activities and games to promote international understanding, collaboration and bonding.
Brunei-Singapore Adventure Camp simply 'unbelievable' [6th Dec]
By James Kon
The Bruneian and Singaporean national flags held high together.
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Muhammad Yusrey receiving his award. - PHOTOS: James Kon
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Mr Kuang Yoke Wee exchanging souvenirs with Dayang Hjh Aishah.
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Participants from both countries singing side by side.
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One of the comical skits being performed about a lightning in the sky.
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One of the scenes from the winning Sultan Bolkiah story.
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The guest of honour presenting the prize of Best Performance to team Killer Bee.
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Strengthening understanding through exchanges of culture and tradition has forged a lasting friendship between the youths of Brunei and Singapore, through their weeklong stay together for the Brunei-Singapore Adventure Camp 2008.
One of Brunei's participants, Muhammad Yusrey bin Hj Yusli, described the alliance that was formed between the participants of the two countries as, simply, "unbelievable".
Speaking to the Borneo Bulletin, Muhammad Yusrey went on to say, "At first I thought it would be hard for us to get together but as time went by, we got along and built up strong friendships with each other."
He hopes that the programme will continue on to generate even more friendships between the future youths of the two countries.
The Brunei-Singapore Adventure Camp 2008 came to an end yesterday that was marked by a ceremony at the Rizqun International Hotel.
The guest of honour was Dayang Hjh Aishah binti Hj Muhd Husain, Director of Schools, Ministry of Education.
At the start of the ceremony, representatives from both countries took to the stage and spoke about their enriching experiences from the programme. Pang Chai Seng represented Singapore whilst Maydelyn Ling Mohd Tong Ling represented Brunei. What followed were four entertaining performances by all the participants.
There was also a prize presentation, presented by the guest of honour, in which the winner of the 'Best Performance Award' went to 'Killer Bee' with the story of Sultan Bolkiah. The 'Best Actor Award' went to Muhammad Yusrey bin Hj Yusli of G Cube whilst 'Best Actress Award' went to Maftuhatus Sainah binti Mohd Hambali.
Brunei-S'pore youth camp
Opening dance: Bruneian students performing a dance during the opening ceremony of Brunei-Singapore Adventure Camp 2008 at Wasan Vocational School, Limau Manis. Picture: BT/Saifulizam
Syed Rory Malai Hassan
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Monday, December 1, 2008
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.
Datin 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 familiarise 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 organisers 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.
The Brunei Times
Singapore students tour Tutong attractions
TUTONG
Thursday, December 4, 2008
TWENTY Singaporean youth participants of the Brunei-Singapore Adventure Camp 2008 visited several attractions in Tutong yesterday 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.
During the visit, the youths, accompanied by volunteers from the Ministry of Education, made their way to the Tasek Merimbun Museum and conducted a short jungle trek. This was later followed by a short visit to Tasek Merimbun where they learned some of the history of Tasek Merimbun and observed a demonstration of the traditional music played by the locals.
Before concluding their visit, the youths went to the Ukong Ambulong processing facilities where they witnessed the process of making ambuyat, a local delicacy in Brunei.
After the trip, the participants began rehearsing for the closing ceremony, which will be held on December 7 at the Rizqun International Hotel. The one-week Brunei-Singapore Adventure Camp 2008 is hosted by Brunei's Ministry of Education at the Wasan Vocational School this year. (SHS1)
The Brunei Times
Ulu-ulu jungle fever grips campers
Bahrum Ali
TEMBURONG
Friday, December 5, 2008
FORTY youth participants to the Brunei-Singapore Adventure Camp 2008 yesterday went on an adventure to explore the pristine rainforest of the Ulu-ulu National Park Resort.
Kamil Abdul Hamid, director of the resort's business development, said the Ulu-ulu National Park Resort offers visitors authentic jungle adventure while enjoying the resort's facilities.
He told youth participants that Ulu-ulu, which means remote, contains one of the richest biodiversity in the world.
Twenty Bruneian students and 20 Singaporean students took part in the two days, one night activity organised by the resort.
Nurashikin, 15, a student from Singapore's Admiralty Secondary School, said although this is her first time in Brunei, she had been wondering about the beauty of the sultanate's tropical rainforest since it was mentioned in class.
Indeed, the trip to Ulu-ulu was an adventure for the students and the teachers with them.
Before proceeding to Ulu-ulu, the students marvelled at the fast-flowing Batang Duri river. The atmosphere became more lively as they took the Temuai boat to the Ulu-ulu Resort.
During the 25-minute boat ride, the students had the chance to see colourful butterflies and birds.
Proud to be in the programme, a geography teacher from Kiulap Secondary School, Fairul Azmi Hj Sulaiman, said he expects the experience to make him a better teacher. It is much better to go out and explore the environment rather than reading and listening about the subject, he said.
For the nature walk, safety was a priority for everyone. The students were briefed by personnel from the Fire and Rescue Department and a nature guide from the resort.
Hainah Hamzah, the resort's sales and reservation officer, said the resort made sure each group of students had a walkie-talkie as a safety precaution.
The students, who were separated into two groups, set off on the nature walk to discover the delicate ecology of the flora and fauna of the rainforest.
It took them approximately two hours to reach Ulu-ulu's canopy walk. Even though the journey was a bit tiring, the students were thrilled over the experience and the novelty of seeing flora and fauna they had only seen on television.
A Bruneian student, Adi Busyrah, 15, said that the trek was more tiring than climbing the Shahbandar hill, but that it was more fun to do the nature walk, especially when they could see the canopy walk.
When they finally reached the steps going to the canopy walk, the participants were more than eager to climb up the 50-metre tall and 100-metre long canopy walk.
After enjoying the view from the top, the students went on to cooler pursuits as they went canoeing along the river. They also enjoyed a refreshing swim.
They were then served lunch by the resort's restaurant, Two River Terrace Cafe.
The last leg of the trip was a stop at the Kg Amo B longhouse. The participants were welcomed by the head village officer and briefed on the life of the Iban. The students were entertained with Nangat Lelaki and Nangat Perempuan, the Iban's traditional dance. The students were also invited to try the dances with them.
On the way back to Batang Duri, The Brunei Times had an opportunity to interview a tourist couple who was on vacation in Batang Duri.
Alwyn and Margherita Finney from the United Kingdom said they decided to go to Brunei because of its rainforest. The couple expressed their desire to bring their grandchildren to Brunei.
The Brunei Times
Friendship blooms in adventure camp
Farewell show: Students perform at the closing ceremony of the Brunei-Singapore Adventure Camp yesterday. Picture: BT/ Jefrisalas
Nuruljannah
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Saturday, December 6, 2008
THANKS to the Brunei-Singapore Adventure Camp 2008, a friendship blossomed among the participants despite differences in religion and race even as the adventure ended yesterday.
The ceremony began with the recital of Surah Al-Fatihah and the Doa Selamat. This was followed by two representatives' speeches from both countries, where they shared their experiences.
Madleyn Ling Mohd Tony Ling, a representative from Brunei, said that the camp helped them forge friendship with other participants with different religion and racial background. But at the end of the camp, she said, they are just like one big family.
A representative from Singapore, Pang Cai Feng, expressed her appreciation to the courtesy provided by the locals. She said that the unique experiences in culture, as well as in exploring nature, will forever be etched in their hearts.
Present at the ceremony was Hjh Aishah Hj Muhd Husain, Director of Schools, Ministry of Education.
The Brunei-Singapore Adventure Camp 2008, which brings the theme "This is Where the Friendship Blooms", gathered 20 youths and five teachers from Singapore and 20 local students from schools throughout the country.
Among the activities held include a trip to the Wasan Paddy Fields, Tasek Merimbun Recreational Park, an Ambulong Factory and a trip to Temburong.
The closing ceremony also included four performances by Brunei and Singapore participants, namely, Sang Nila Utama, Jong Batu, Singapore di langgar Todak di Bukit Merah and Sultan Bolkiah, a slide show presentation of the camp's activities and the presentation of certificates to the participants. The event concluded with a closing song entitled "Together (Till We Meet Again)" performed by all the participants.
The camp was hosted by the Brunei Ministry of Education at the Wasan Vocational School.
The Brunei Times
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