Mode of Education

For citizens of Brunei, education is free from the kindergarten level up to the highest level including university training abroad.  Education for children ages 5 to 16, which is the primary level up to the secondary level, is compulsory.  There are 6 years for the primary level and 7 years for the secondary level.  This is to maintain a high literacy rate. Educational services are financed by the government mostly from the revenues in petroleum production.  The Ministry of Educations controls the educational services in the country.  Islamic schools, also called Madrasas, were the main centres of their educational system until recently when the government has acknowledged the importance of western education.   Now, there are several modern schools in the country.  It is included in their educational policies to promote bilingual education, Malay and English.  

Primary and secondary educations are taught in Chinese, English or Malay.  For every district in the country, the government has established its own public school. There are also private schools all around the country.

There are schools that foreigners can choose from.  Most foreigners attend private mission schools, the International School or the Chinese School.  There are also several religious academies. 

In 1985, the country established the University of Brunei Darussalam.  The university has faculties for administration and management, arts and social sciences and science.  The country also has 2 colleges for training teachers and 5 vocational technical schools that include a training center for agriculture.  Still, most students prefer to study at foreign universities in continuing their tertiary education at government expense.