With only 1,700 out of the 2,700 applicants for Higher National Diploma programmes and above to local and overseas higher institutions having gained admission last year, a new technical education institution has been established in an effort to bridge the gap.

The Brunei Polytechnic is expected to receive its first intake in January 2012.

The institution will offer Advanced Diploma courses (equivalent to the current HND courses) awarded by the Brunei Darussalam Technical and Vocational Educational Council (BDTVEC) through its School of Business; School of Information and Communication Technology (ICT); and School of Science and Engineering.

This was disclosed yesterday by Dr Hj Ashri bin Hj Ahmad, Brunei Polytechnic Head Secretariat during a talk held at the Meragang Sixth Form Centre yesterday.

The objective of the talk was to inform students of their options for further studies upon completing their GCE ‘A’ Levels.

The new polytechnic is established with the aim of accelerating the country’s human resources development – in line with the National Development Plan and Brunei Vision 2035 – and also in heeding the call made in His Majesty’s Titah during the 18th Teachers’ Day Celebration on October 18, 2008.

With a mission to equip students for gainful employment and to contribute to the development of a workforce with “21st Century Skills”, the Brunei Polytechnic will start a number of Advanced Diploma courses this coming January, namely Accounting, Finance, Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship under its School of Business; and Computer Network, Information System and Technology, as well as Web Computing under its School of Information and Communication Technology.

Additional new programmes have been proposed for introduction in July 2012.

They are Information Science and Digital Media Technology (School of ICT); Hospitality Management and Tourism Management (School of Business); and Property (Real Estate) Management, Interior Architecture and Design, Electrical and Electronic, Network Engineering, Computer Engineering and Landscape Architecture under the School of Science and Engineering.

The programmes will last four semesters (two years) and include 12 weeks of supervised work attachments at relevant agencies around the country.

Brunei Polytechnic is located at Block 2E, Ong Sum Ping Condominium at Jalan Ong Sum Ping. Interested candidates may apply through the Higher Education Centralised Admission System (HECAS) at http://www.hecas.edu.bn.

Personnel from the Brunei Polytechnic will also be visiting other Sixth Form Centres and technical institutions around the country.