Daniel Lim
Following nearly a year of operating as a temporary isolation centre in Belait District, the Belait Sixth Form Centre (PTE Belait) started welcoming back 220 lower sixth students yesterday.
Present to greet the students was school principal Chin Ai Fong, accompanied by deputy principals, teachers and staff.
As part of the activities that morning, students were ushered to several briefings and given a tour to help them acclimatise to the new learning environment before settling down in their classrooms, all while adhering to standard operating procedures (SOPs) outlined by the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Ministry of Health (MoH).
The PTE Belait building was used as the COVID-19 Holding Area Belait (CHABEL6) – an isolation centre for COVID-19 patients – from August 2021 to April 2022.
Members of the school community, including teachers and students, were temporarily relocated to Sayyidina Ali Secondary School (SMSA).
The principal took the opportunity to quell concerns that students, parents and guardians, as well as stakeholders, might have in regards to the re-opening of the sixth form centre. “Over the past few weeks, the Cluster Six of School together with several agencies have been hard at work to ensure that the premises were cleaned and COVID-free,” she explained.
The cleaning effort was conducted in collaboration with the MoH, Ministry of Development through the Public Works Department, Royal Brunei Navy and volunteers to ensure that the school was clean, conducive to learning and safe.
She reaffirmed the centre’s commitment to ensure not only the students’ health and safety but also that education remains the highest priority for the centre, with the various facilities are both spacious and adequate to cater to the students’ needs.
With the students making their return to PTE Belait, the principal hoped that parents, guardians and stakeholders have been well-assured that all precautionary measures have been taken by the school.
Meanwhile, the centre’s upper sixth form students remain at SMSA as they are sitting for their Cambridge ‘AS’ Level examination.
They will join their junior schoolmates later on June 12 following the conclusion of the examinations.
The MoE continues to emphasise on cleanliness and safety of schools and urges schools to continue enforcing SOPs to ensure the well-being of students, teachers and staff.
