BY Rokiah Mahmud

Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman received a courtesy visit from the Omani delegation on Thursday.

The group, led by Advisor to the Minister of Education for Educational Media and Head of Minister’s Office of Oman Dr Saeed bin Saif Al Ameri in his capacity as the general supervisor of cultural cooperation programmes between Oman and Brunei, also included the coordinator of Tadreeb Mu’alim programme and four experts from Oman’s Ministry of Education.

Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin expressed his appreciation for Oman’s efforts in bringing in Arabic language experts to empower the use of the language in the Sultanate.

Brunei and Oman have established close bilateral relations, further strengthened by the cooperation between Brunei’s Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) and Oman’s Minister of Education in the field of Arabic language for teaching and learning.

The collaborative programme serves as a platform to raise the confidence level of teachers to communicate in the Arabic language as well as develop their skills in applying modern educational methods to teaching the language through trainings and open discussions.

The Tadreeb Mu’alim programme for Arabic language teachers in Arabic schools and Institute Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (ITQSHHB), and cultural exchange and Tauamah education (twinning) programmes between Arabic schools in Brunei and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) schools in Oman are among the programmes that are being carried out.

The twinning programme aims to introduce Bruneian students to the Omani culture, customs and traditions while developing the use of Arabic as the second language.

The MoRA also extrended gratitude to Oman for contributing educational and cultural books, to be used as references at Arabic and religious schools in the Sultanate.

The contribution, according to the ministry, is beneficial and in line with its goal at improving the quality of teaching and learning.

Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Mohd Tashim bin Pengiran Haji Hassan was also present.

The delegation arrived in the country on July 18, until July 28.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin