A series of workshops focusing on environmental and financial sustainability kicked off recently, with the first in Kuala Belait.
The workshop series, a collaboration between Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD), Shell Exploration and Production Brunei, Science Technology Environment Partnership (STEP) Centre and Big BWN Project, is aimed at encouraging students to adopt sustainable practices and to make informed financial decisions for a more sustainable future.
The inaugural workshop began at Sayyidina Ali Secondary School (SMSA), where some 90 Year 8 students participated.
At the SMSA workshop, a team of certified financial planners from BIBD Securities introduced the subject of financial literacy to the students.
The speakers touched on budgeting, balancing between ‘needs’ and ‘wants’, and the importance of savings while also highlighting limiting waste to reach financial goals. Meanwhile Big BWN Project founder Noor Hafizah binti Rashid introduced sustainable environmental practices and collaborated with the students to discover alternative solutions for single-use items.
They explored strategies to transform their schools into zero-waste or environmentally-friendly establishments.
In a statement, BIBD said the bank believes in nurturing a generation of responsible and environmentally-conscious individuals from a young age and recognises the critical role education plays in fostering sustainability.
The workshop series will involve 15 schools, primarily in rural areas for Years 4 to 12. An interschool competition is set to take place towards the end of the project next year.
It features interactive sessions and activities focusing on two key areas – zero waste education and financial literacy.
