The Relevance of Science Education in Br
Report on ROSE survey in Brunei Darussalam
[Dk. Hjh. Siti Fatmah Pg. Hj. Petra, p25713@brunet.bn / dr913@hotmail.com,
Ministry of Education, Brunei Darussalam, February 2005)
ROSE team
The ROSE team for Brunei Darussalam consisted of the sole researcher, Dk. Hjh. Siti
Fatimah Pg. Hj. Petra, a Master student from the School of Education, University of
Southampton using web – based data collection. The design for web – based
instrument was assisted by Dr. Patrick Fullick, a lecturer from the School of
Education, University of Southampton.
School system and science teaching
In Brunei Darussalam, the Ministry of Education has a policy of providing a minimum
of 12 years of education that starts at the age of 6. This comprises 7 years in the
primary education (inclusive of 1 year in pre – school) and 5 years in the secondary.
The primary level places strong emphasis on literacy, numeracy, science, physical
education, civics and moral education. The primary education ends with Year 6
school – based assessment.
The secondary level focusses more on subject specialisations, in a two-phase stage:
lower and upper secondary. The lower secondary level covers two years of education
with a final assessment called Year 8 School – based assessment. Students who
attained good results will be streamed to 2 – year upper secondary level; whilst
those who attained lower will be streamed to 3 – year upper secondary level.
Majority of these students will sit for ‘O’ level Brunei – Cambridge Ordinary Level
Certificate of Education.
Science is one of the compulsory subjects for lower secondary students; in their
upper, they can choose pure science subjects as their option(s). This include Double
Sciences (taking two science subjects from Biology, Chemistry and Physics), or all
sciences (all three) for Science stream students. Those taking Art stream are
required to take basic Combined Science subject which is less detailed than the pure
sciences.
Students who have the necessary ‘O’ level qualifications may proceed to do a twoyear pre-university course, and choose two or three advance Sciences as their
subject combinations. Pre-University students will sit for the Brunei – Cambridge
Advance Subsidiary (AS) Level Certificate of Education during their first pre –
university year; and Brunei – Cambridge Advance (A) Level Certificate of Education
in their final year. Students may also opt for vocational or technical subjects in
vocational or technical schools after their ‘O’ levels.
There are a few specialised schools such as Sports school and Science schools.
Science schools only accept students who attained excellent results in their primary
education assessment. There are a few single – sex schools, following the same
curriculum as the co – eds. Special children either gifted or talented, or students with
disabilities, are integrated in public or private schools. In most private schools, the
curriculum follows the public schools. Placement for most students (except for
specialised schools) is according to districts and zones.
Religious schools are compulsory but for students of age 8 – 14. The curriculum is
separate, conducted in separate schools, and administered by another Ministry i.e.
Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Translation
Sciences are taught in English in Brunei, therefore the ROSE instrument was
administered in English. However, the instrument was prepared through online.
The ROSE team split the questionnaire into 8 files, according to the sections in the
original questionnaire. Dr. Patrick Fullick, her lecturer, helped in uploading each file
in the University of Southampton webpages to allow students from Brunei
Darussalam to participate in the survey.
National questions
There were no added items for background variables, except that the headings of
each section were given coloured fonts.
Piloting
It was agreed through the discussions with Dr. Patrick Fullick, and the ROSE team’s
supervisor, Professor Mary Ratcliffe, that the the ROSE team and her colleagues will
try out the online questionnaires, to make sure there were no hiccups. The links
worked well, and databases for collecting students’ responses were easily
retrievable.
Official permission
An official letter was sent to the Director of Schools, Ministry of Education, Brunei
Darussalam, to obtain permission to conduct ROSE online questionnaires to upper
secondary students (Form 4) on 24th March 2005. Due to insufficient data, another
letter was sent on 27th May 2005, to inform that the deadline was extended, and
target population was widened to all upper secondary students (Form 4 & 5). A reply
letter from the Director of Schools was received with a positive response. Circulars
were sent to all schools to ensure all the Form 4 & Form 5 students will participate in
the ROSE online questionnaire.
Population
The target population was initially Form 4 students (equivalently Year 10 or Grade
10); but due to insufficient data, the target population also includes Form 5 students
(equivalently Year 11 or Grade 11). However, the Form 5 participants were broken
down according to their ages. Only 15-year old participants were included in the data
analysis.
Sample and participation
ROSE online questionnaire was open to all secondary schools in Brunei Darussalam.
In 2004 / 2005, there were about 48 secondary schools, the total number of Form 4
and Form 5 students was not known. All 15 – year olds science students were
included in the target population.
The main reason of providing ROSE questionnaire through online was the author was
on her study leave abroad, thus completely dependent on the circulars from the
Director of Schools, sent to each head of schools. The response rate was not
encouraging in the beginning due to three reasons: 1. the circulars from the Director
of Schools were received quite late; 2. the duration for completing the questionnaire
was short; and 3. not all students have access to the internet.
At the end of data collection, there were seventy – one 15 – year old respondents,
forty – seven females and twenty – four males. The number of locals responding was
not reported.
There may be weaknesses in getting all the students to participate due to the
reasons above; however the quality of the sample was acceptable to complete a
research paper. If more time was given, a good number of students from all
secondary schools in Brunei will participate.
Data collection in schools
Two letters were sent to the Director of Schools; the first one was to inform
participants to complete their questionnaires within three weeks i.e. from 28 th March
2005 to 15th April 2005; and the second one was to inform that the duration was
extended to 25th September 2005.
Once each head of secondary schools received the circulars from the school director,
these were forwarded to heads of Science / Biology departments, to convey the
information to their science teachers. Each science teacher supposedly announced to
their students on the participation of the questionnaire. Invitation replies were not
instructed to be sent.
Instructions for the questionnaire were posted on the website. The website address
(www.soton.ac.uk/~dhphp104) was highlighted in the circulars.
Parent consent was not necessary, since the feedbacks on ROSE online questionnaire
were given during school time.
Out of the forty – eight schools, only ten schools participated.
Feedback and experiences
With time constraint and limited responses, the ROSE team only focused on the
responses given for four categories, that is: ‘My Future Job Category’; ‘My Science
Classes’; ‘My Opinions about Science and Technology’; and ‘Percentage of students
having books in their home’.
Dr. Patrick Fullick commented that although the ROSE team had not been able to
collect as much data as she would have liked, she had use the data that she had
collected to build up a picture of the career aspirations of girls and boys in Brunei,
which she then related to other countries in which the ROSE project has been used.
He added the author’s use of web – based method of data collection is to be
applauded.
The ROSE team was not able to send any acknowledgement letters to participating
schools; and further reactions by students were not available for this report.
Coding (also of the open-ended I question)
Coding was done by the ROSE team, but without using SPSS packages since the
focus was reduced to three categories. Only mean and standard deviation was
computed, to enable triangulation between three categories i.e. ‘My Future Job
Category’, ‘My Science Classes’, and ‘My Opinions about Science and Technology’.
Responses for the items from Question I were received, but not coded for this report.
[Dk. Hjh. Siti Fatmah Pg. Hj. Petra, p25713@brunet.bn / dr913@hotmail.com,
Ministry of Education, Brunei Darussalam, February 2005)
ROSE team
The ROSE team for Brunei Darussalam consisted of the sole researcher, Dk. Hjh. Siti
Fatimah Pg. Hj. Petra, a Master student from the School of Education, University of
Southampton using web – based data collection. The design for web – based
instrument was assisted by Dr. Patrick Fullick, a lecturer from the School of
Education, University of Southampton.
School system and science teaching
In Brunei Darussalam, the Ministry of Education has a policy of providing a minimum
of 12 years of education that starts at the age of 6. This comprises 7 years in the
primary education (inclusive of 1 year in pre – school) and 5 years in the secondary.
The primary level places strong emphasis on literacy, numeracy, science, physical
education, civics and moral education. The primary education ends with Year 6
school – based assessment.
The secondary level focusses more on subject specialisations, in a two-phase stage:
lower and upper secondary. The lower secondary level covers two years of education
with a final assessment called Year 8 School – based assessment. Students who
attained good results will be streamed to 2 – year upper secondary level; whilst
those who attained lower will be streamed to 3 – year upper secondary level.
Majority of these students will sit for ‘O’ level Brunei – Cambridge Ordinary Level
Certificate of Education.
Science is one of the compulsory subjects for lower secondary students; in their
upper, they can choose pure science subjects as their option(s). This include Double
Sciences (taking two science subjects from Biology, Chemistry and Physics), or all
sciences (all three) for Science stream students. Those taking Art stream are
required to take basic Combined Science subject which is less detailed than the pure
sciences.
Students who have the necessary ‘O’ level qualifications may proceed to do a twoyear pre-university course, and choose two or three advance Sciences as their
subject combinations. Pre-University students will sit for the Brunei – Cambridge
Advance Subsidiary (AS) Level Certificate of Education during their first pre –
university year; and Brunei – Cambridge Advance (A) Level Certificate of Education
in their final year. Students may also opt for vocational or technical subjects in
vocational or technical schools after their ‘O’ levels.
There are a few specialised schools such as Sports school and Science schools.
Science schools only accept students who attained excellent results in their primary
education assessment. There are a few single – sex schools, following the same
curriculum as the co – eds. Special children either gifted or talented, or students with
disabilities, are integrated in public or private schools. In most private schools, the
curriculum follows the public schools. Placement for most students (except for
specialised schools) is according to districts and zones.
Religious schools are compulsory but for students of age 8 – 14. The curriculum is
separate, conducted in separate schools, and administered by another Ministry i.e.
Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Translation
Sciences are taught in English in Brunei, therefore the ROSE instrument was
administered in English. However, the instrument was prepared through online.
The ROSE team split the questionnaire into 8 files, according to the sections in the
original questionnaire. Dr. Patrick Fullick, her lecturer, helped in uploading each file
in the University of Southampton webpages to allow students from Brunei
Darussalam to participate in the survey.
National questions
There were no added items for background variables, except that the headings of
each section were given coloured fonts.
Piloting
It was agreed through the discussions with Dr. Patrick Fullick, and the ROSE team’s
supervisor, Professor Mary Ratcliffe, that the the ROSE team and her colleagues will
try out the online questionnaires, to make sure there were no hiccups. The links
worked well, and databases for collecting students’ responses were easily
retrievable.
Official permission
An official letter was sent to the Director of Schools, Ministry of Education, Brunei
Darussalam, to obtain permission to conduct ROSE online questionnaires to upper
secondary students (Form 4) on 24th March 2005. Due to insufficient data, another
letter was sent on 27th May 2005, to inform that the deadline was extended, and
target population was widened to all upper secondary students (Form 4 & 5). A reply
letter from the Director of Schools was received with a positive response. Circulars
were sent to all schools to ensure all the Form 4 & Form 5 students will participate in
the ROSE online questionnaire.
Population
The target population was initially Form 4 students (equivalently Year 10 or Grade
10); but due to insufficient data, the target population also includes Form 5 students
(equivalently Year 11 or Grade 11). However, the Form 5 participants were broken
down according to their ages. Only 15-year old participants were included in the data
analysis.
Sample and participation
ROSE online questionnaire was open to all secondary schools in Brunei Darussalam.
In 2004 / 2005, there were about 48 secondary schools, the total number of Form 4
and Form 5 students was not known. All 15 – year olds science students were
included in the target population.
The main reason of providing ROSE questionnaire through online was the author was
on her study leave abroad, thus completely dependent on the circulars from the
Director of Schools, sent to each head of schools. The response rate was not
encouraging in the beginning due to three reasons: 1. the circulars from the Director
of Schools were received quite late; 2. the duration for completing the questionnaire
was short; and 3. not all students have access to the internet.
At the end of data collection, there were seventy – one 15 – year old respondents,
forty – seven females and twenty – four males. The number of locals responding was
not reported.
There may be weaknesses in getting all the students to participate due to the
reasons above; however the quality of the sample was acceptable to complete a
research paper. If more time was given, a good number of students from all
secondary schools in Brunei will participate.
Data collection in schools
Two letters were sent to the Director of Schools; the first one was to inform
participants to complete their questionnaires within three weeks i.e. from 28 th March
2005 to 15th April 2005; and the second one was to inform that the duration was
extended to 25th September 2005.
Once each head of secondary schools received the circulars from the school director,
these were forwarded to heads of Science / Biology departments, to convey the
information to their science teachers. Each science teacher supposedly announced to
their students on the participation of the questionnaire. Invitation replies were not
instructed to be sent.
Instructions for the questionnaire were posted on the website. The website address
(www.soton.ac.uk/~dhphp104) was highlighted in the circulars.
Parent consent was not necessary, since the feedbacks on ROSE online questionnaire
were given during school time.
Out of the forty – eight schools, only ten schools participated.
Feedback and experiences
With time constraint and limited responses, the ROSE team only focused on the
responses given for four categories, that is: ‘My Future Job Category’; ‘My Science
Classes’; ‘My Opinions about Science and Technology’; and ‘Percentage of students
having books in their home’.
Dr. Patrick Fullick commented that although the ROSE team had not been able to
collect as much data as she would have liked, she had use the data that she had
collected to build up a picture of the career aspirations of girls and boys in Brunei,
which she then related to other countries in which the ROSE project has been used.
He added the author’s use of web – based method of data collection is to be
applauded.
The ROSE team was not able to send any acknowledgement letters to participating
schools; and further reactions by students were not available for this report.
Coding (also of the open-ended I question)
Coding was done by the ROSE team, but without using SPSS packages since the
focus was reduced to three categories. Only mean and standard deviation was
computed, to enable triangulation between three categories i.e. ‘My Future Job
Category’, ‘My Science Classes’, and ‘My Opinions about Science and Technology’.
Responses for the items from Question I were received, but not coded for this report.