ISB global meet preparations

Monday, February 11, 2008


INTERNATIONAL School Brunei (ISB) on Saturday welcomed numerous students from local government and private schools to its third training session managed by the student leaders of ISB Borneo Global Issues Conference VI (ISB BGIC VI) 2008.

The student leaders, secretary-generals and committee chairs, performed a role-play of parliamentary proceedings during committee sessions and the general assembly to provide local students with a clear idea of the upcoming conference, scheduled for March 1 to 3 at the International Convention Centre in Berakas.

The student-managed session encouraged all students to ask questions, seek guidance, work together, share their ideas, and develop their literacy and debating skills.

Students assumed the role of delegates, representing each country in a Model United Nations Forum.

The objective of the conference is to encourage participants to take an active interest in world issues; they have to research and accurately represent the country allocated to them during the mock United Nations (UN) proceedings, the international school said in a media release.

Teachers from various schools including ISB were also present to act as advisors.

Local students are set to form the majority of this year's annual conference where 81 overseas students are coming to Brunei Darussalam from the UK's Windermere St. Anne's, Thailand's Bangkok Patana, United World College South East Asia of Singapore, Kinabalu International School, and Malaysia's Sekolah Swasta Seri Insan and Lodge International School.

"We are very pleased to welcome local student participants from Maktab Duli Pengiran Muda Al-Muhtadee Billah, Maktab Sains Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan, PAP Hajah Masna, Pusat Tingkatan Enam, SM Sayyidina Ali, SM Sayyidina Husain, SM Sayyidina Hasan, SM Rimba, SMJA, SOAS, STPRI, Chung Hwa Middle School and Jerudong International School," said Secretary-General Yasmin Murphy.

"We are very excited to be able to work alongside so many students from local schools; we want the conference to benefit us all since it is student-run and highly regarded by University Admission Officers," she said adding that it is important that everyone enjoys the Borneo Global Issues Conference experience, bringing away with them a deeper awareness of world issues and greater self-confidence.

"ISB BGIC is an established Bruneian tradition since its inception in 2003. This year marks the first time a local government school from as far as Kuala Belait (Sekolah Menengah Sayyidina Ali) is attending; we are very pleased to welcome this team. We are also excited about hosting an overseas school from the UK, beyond the South East Asian region," said ISB Director Mr David G Taylor.

The topics of this year's conference are based broadly on the UN Millennium Development Goals to provide students with a global outlook and wider perspective; the theme of the conference is 'Towards a sustainable future'. Further information is available on the school website, www.isb.edu.bn.