Rokiah Mahmud
The Religious Teachers University College of Seri Begawan (KUPU SB) through its Faculty of Education collaborated with the Brunei Darussalam Counselling Association (PERKAB) to hold a three-day National Counselling Conference and Exhibition 2022 (NICHE 2022) which runs from May 26-28.
State Mufti Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned attended as the guest of honour and officiated the opening ceremony.
Dean of the Faculty of Education at KUPU SB Dr Haji Roslan bin Haji Untong in his capacity as the chairman of NICHE 2022 delivered a welcoming speech, during which he said quality education guarantees a better and sustainable future.
“In facing challenges of 21st Century education, teachers need to equip themselves with specific skills, including guidance and counselling as well as Islamic knowledge, with counselling aimed at providing guidance and advice to those who need them,” he said.
He added that the concept of counselling plays a vital role in building a relationship between a counsellor and a client to help the client recognise his or her potential and in order to make the right choices based on Al-Quran and As-Sunnah.
“The goal of Islamic counselling is to help the clients make personal, social and emotional adjustments so they can function well in an Islamic environment,” he said.
The ceremony continued with a presentation of certificates and PERKAB award to NICHE 2022 speakers.
The morning session commenced with a keynote address by the State Mufti on the event’s theme, ‘Divine Vaccine Overcome Uncertainty’.
A parallel presentation of paperwork was held at Tarbiyah Hall and Taklim Hall.
The afternoon session saw KUPU SB Ra’es Dr Haji Adanan bin Haji Basar deliver a keynote speech as well as facilitate a workshop on ‘Counselling Based on SOPs and Vaccine’.
Among the participants at the event yesterday were counsellors, psychologists, social workers and advisors as well as professionals in the fields of administration, human resources and community welfare.
NICHE 2022 is aimed at sharing professional and scientific information relating to current issues and challenges based on the teachings of Islam.
The conference functions as a platform to form a network involving agencies that provide counselling services by bringing together psychologists, social workers, counsellors from various settings, such as schools, higher learning institutions, mental health clinics, government agencies, community service centres and rehabilitation centres.
