Brunei can produce excellent youths

BRUNEI’S education system is capable of creating excellent youths, if the whole mechanisms and human resources are used effectively, said the Minister of Religious Affairs yesterday.

“To generate excellent youth, the whole sectors in the country need to play their roles more effectively and need to be aware of the role they play in the children’s general and religious education,” Pg Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Pg Hj Abd Rahman said in his speech during the opening ceremony for the “Generating Excellent Youths” workshop at Islamic Da’wah Centre yesterday.

The minister’s speech revolved around the country’s effort in generating excellent youths via education.

“Alhamdulillah, five decades ago His Majesty’s government realised the importance of providing educational infrastructure for duniawi (worldly) and ukhrawi (hereafter) in generating excellent youth in the future,” he said adding that the country has a high quality general education system which allows youths to pursue their studies within the country as well as abroad, according to their choices.

“In addition to that, they also have quality religious education system (in primary level) in fulfilling their fardhu ‘ain (religious duty) and fardu kifayah (religious responsibility),” he added.

Elaborating on the workshop, the minister said that the title of the workshop refers to excellence according to the teachings of Islam which does not contradict with aqidah (beliefs), syariah (law) and akhlak (manners or behaviours) Islam”.

“Our youths possess the criteria needed to be excellent,” said the minister who was optimistic that difficulty in securing jobs and unemployment will not be an issue for them.

Excellent youth will not be swayed by the negative side of Western culture and will not move towards the negative elements, social issues and crime.

He pointed out that in developed countries such youths were “headhunted” even when they are still studying in higher educational institutions and is their advantage.

“I think this will also happen in our country one day,” the minister said adding,

Pg Dato Dr Hj Mohammad further expressed his hopes that youths will contribute towards a healthy development of the country.

“We need to strengthen our education for the duniawi and ukhrawi on MIB, maintain our cultural heritage and repel the negativity by practising the notion ‘prevention is better than cure’,”he added.

Themed “Ilahi selamatkan Brunei Darussalam”, loosely translated as “Allah (SWT) saves Brunei Darussalam”, the three-day workshop saw the participation of 200 youths from associations, mosques and higher educational institutions in the country.