School in Brunei

Brunei's national school pathway normally begins with one year of Pra at about age 5, followed by primary school from Year 1 to Year 6. Secondary education starts with Years 7 and 8 under a shared curriculum. After Year 8, students may enter General Secondary Express in Years 9–10, General Secondary Normal in Years 9–11, Applied Secondary in Years 9–11 or the Special Applied Programme. The Special Applied Programme can lead to BTEC qualifications and a transition towards vocational training. Specialized education also supports demonstrated ability or talent in science and mathematics, music, performing or visual arts and sport. SPN21 is Brunei's national education framework. Its curriculum covers literacy, numeracy, science, physical education, social studies, technology, arts and culture, Islamic Religious Knowledge and Melayu Islam Beraja. English is generally used for instruction, with Bahasa Melayu, Islamic Religious Knowledge and Melayu Islam Beraja among the main exceptions. Information and communication technology is also a curriculum focus. A Year-3 baseline assessment, the Year 6 PSR, Year 8 SPE or SPA assessments and later BC GCE O Level or IGCSE examinations mark key points in the pathway. The Ministry of Education, including its Department of Schools, manages the public school system. A citizen child is admitted to a government school subject to available space. Primary admission normally requires the original birth certificate. Secondary admission normally uses a Smart Card or identity card, or a birth certificate, together with previous school records. Non-citizen admission depends on the applicable category and available places; applications generally require a passport or Smart Card and records from the previous school. Private and international schools are registered and supervised through the Department of Private Education, and their fees vary by institution. The education framework implemented from January 2024 applies a regular attendance duty to citizens residing in Brunei from age 5 until before age 15. Parents or guardians carry the attendance responsibility. A child who reaches age 5 by 31 December is registered for Pra in the following year. In 2025, 116 government primary schools offered Pra and 2,755 five-year-olds were registered. The Attorney General's Chambers lists a 2026 amendment to Cap. 211, while an older indexed version still shows the former age of 6; the current consolidated legislation should therefore be checked when exact legal advice is needed. Muslim children aged 7 to under 15 who live in Brunei and have at least one citizen or permanent-resident parent are subject to Pendidikan Ugama Wajib. The planned religious-school pathway lasts seven years and may take seven or eight years to complete. Since 1 November 2023, religious subjects for Pra through Darjah 3 have been integrated into the relevant primary school. Darjah 4–6 continue through Sekolah Ugama. Entry to Sekolah Arab uses an annual selection examination and is separate from ordinary school admission. Children with special educational needs can attend education through arrangements matched to their needs. The Department of Special Education, known as JPKhas, evaluates needs and provides intervention. Support may include an Individualized Education Plan, or IEP, for high support needs, a Reading and English Programme, or REP, for learning difficulties especially in literacy and numeracy, Learning Assistance Centers, Model Inclusive Schools or Centres of Excellence, and the five-year Pre-Vocational Programme. Flexible settings may use a ratio of 1:3 or 1:1. Educational psychology, speech and language therapy and occupational therapy may also be available. The 2026 school calendar has four terms, 200 school days and 75 holiday days. The terms run from 3 January to 12 March, 30 March to 28 May, 8 June to 6 August and 24 August to 30 November. Fridays and Sundays are marked as school-free days. The 2026 examination windows include PSR from 8–15 October, SPE or SBE from 19–29 October and BC GCE O Level or IGCSE examinations from 28 September to 13 November. Current public-school fee schedules are not established by the available official evidence. Private-school fees depend on the institution and must be checked in its approved fee particulars. Historical Miftahun Najah records refer to possible costs or needs such as fees, uniforms, stationery, transport and other school requirements, but current eligibility and amounts require confirmation from the responsible authority or school.