Lyna Mohamad
A four-day-three-night camp began yesterday at the Youth Centre in the capital participated by 27 students representing government and private secondary schools.
The group of 20 male and seven females comprise students from Awang Semaun Secondary School, Sayyidina Umar Al-Khattab Secondary School, Sultan Sharif Ali Secondary School, Pengiran Isteri Hajjah Mariam Secondary School, Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Secondary School, Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam Secondary School, Pengiran Anak Puteri Hajah Masna Secondary School, Menglait Secondary School, Berakas Secondary School, Sayyidina Husain Secondary School, Masin Secondary School, and Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Secondary School.
Also invited were students from Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien College, Raja Isteri Girls High School, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Arabic School, Chung Hwa Middle School, St Andrew’s School and St George’s School.
Among the activities are mass daily prayers and recitation of Surah Yaasiin, Subuh and Maghrib talk, ice-breaking session and group work, discussions, presentation and briefing by the Youth and Sports Department and National Youth Policy and Strategy Department.
The camping activities conclude on January 27. Participants would be awarded with a closing and certificate presentation ceremony.
The camp will also see participants engaged in community and charity work such as cleaning of a Muslim cemetery for male participants and making porridge and weaving Kelupis for alms by the female campers.
There will also be a segment on ‘Bah Lakastah Bercakap’ every morning where the participants are required to deliver a brief speech on activities they have conducted, night adventure covering exploration of the capital in the evening while carrying out leadership activities as well as programmes such as ‘Kenali Bandar Kitani’, ‘Bedudun Ke Kampong’, sports and recreational activities.
Participants will also have a get together session with former leaders who have led and contributed in youth activities to act as an inspirational source to the participants during the sharing session.
It also serves as a teaching medium beyond the school border as one of the informal learning methods, to know and learn the Bruneian lifestyle through communication and language and to instil the attitude of lending a helping hand in conducting an activity or challenges faced. The camp’s objectives include filling in the participants free time while waiting for their GCE O-Level results and provide an opportunity for them to interact through self-identity, environment, spiritual and leadership activities.
It is hoped that through these activities, participants can be proactive, initiative and creative as well as bold in voicing out their views, form a friendly network informally and act as change agent to their schools, able to mould a responsible and independent youth and to attract interests to joining the Youth Centre Club.
