What Is Secondary School?
A secondary school or high school in Brunei is defined as an institution offering a secondary school education after primary school. Secondary school education is compulsory for students in most countries to prepare them for higher education in the future.
A typical secondary school education lasts for at least five years. The age of an average secondary school student is 13 years old and they will receive a secondary school education until the age of 17 or 18 before pursuing pre-university studies.
What is the Best Age to Start Secondary School in Brunei?
Students in Brunei start their secondary education at the age of 12. Secondary School in Brunei takes around five years to complete. However, for the first two years of secondary school (Year 7 and Year 8), students adhere to a common syllabus. At the end of Year 8, students are required to take the Student Progress Examination (SPE). The results will determine the class that the students will enter. There are four programs that are available: General Secondary Education Program, Applied Secondary Education Program, Special Applied Education Program, and Special Educational Needs Program. Students start their program in Year 9 and complete their course after three years.
What Topics are Learnt at Secondary School in Brunei?
For Year 7 and Year 8, students will study the core subjects such as English, Malay, Mathematics and Science, alongside compulsory subjects such as Islamic Religious Knowledge, Malay Islamic Monarchy, Physical Education, Co-curriculum, Social Studies, Business Technology, Science & Technology, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Commercial Studies, Music and Art; and one elective subject from these options, Arabic, French or Mandarin.
In Year 9 to Year 11, students who are part of the General Secondary Education Program will take core subjects which are English, Malay, Mathematics and Sciences; compulsory subjects such as Malay Islamic Monarchy, Physical Education and Co-curriculum; and two elective subjects from the English and Malay Literatures, Arabic, French, Mandarin, Additional Mathematics, Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences, Art & Culture and Technology areas.
Students who are part of the Applied Secondary Education Program will take core subjects which are English, Malay, Mathematics and Combined Sciences; compulsory subjects such as Islamic Religious Knowledge, Malay Islamic Monarchy, Physical Education and Co-curriculum; and two elective subjects from the Humanities & Social Sciences, Art & Culture, Technology and Physical Education areas.
As for students who are part of the Special Applied Secondary Education Program, they will take core subjects such as English, Malay, Mathematics and Science; compulsory subjects such as Islamic Religious Knowledge, Malay Islamic Monarchy, Physical Education and Co-curriculum; and six elective subjects from the Humanities & Social Sciences, Art & Culture and Technology areas.
Types of Secondary Schools in Brunei
In Brunei, there are secondary schools in the government and private sectors. Government secondary schools are free for locals while foreign students might have to pay a fee. On the other hand, private or international secondary schools in Brunei are available but might cost more for foreign students, while local students pay a lower fee.
How Do You Apply to Secondary in Brunei?
Parents can apply to secondary schools in Brunei by visiting the school’s website to browse through information such as the intake dates and fees which are displayed. If parents need more information, they can always reach out to a school representative via email or phone.
What are the Average Fees for Secondary School in Brunei?
Public secondary schools are free for local students while foreign students might need to pay a fee. As for international secondary schools, the fees can range from BD2,000 to BD26,000 per year. Therefore, it is important for parents to determine whether they are interested in enrolling their child into a government or private secondary school before seeking out more information.
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