Pre-primary education
Early childhood intervention focuses on the health, social and developmental growth and early education of young children. The Brunei Government and other local authorities have the responsibility of ensuring that children under 5 years of age undergo developmental programmes to help them achieve their optimum potential growth in these key areas. Early childhood intervention services are provided for children with special needs from birth. The components of early childhood intervention include education, health services, therapy, inclusion support in early childhood services, formal and informal family support, and the provision of information and support for children’s transition into the school system. Children aged between 4-5 years may enter the private schools, whilst children under 3 years are catered for by the Community Development Department at the Ministry of Welfare, Youth and Sports.
Early childhood intervention services are delivered in a variety of environments including: the family’s home, early childhood intervention centres, preschools, day care centres or hospitals. The Child Development Centre (for children with special needs or children at risk) began its operation in 1999 and offers services under the Ministry of Health in clinical psychology, speech therapy and treatment for those with hearing impairment. The Centre also conducts an Early Development
Programme to cater for children with special needs and multiple disabilities. This programme is for children below 5 years of age and aims to improve children’s developmental progress so that they may enter the mainstream education institutions. They will be examined, diagnosed and treated if necessary. (MOE, 2008).
At the preschool level the focus is on key competencies such as socio- emotional development, personality development, and school preparedness skills necessary for pursuing primary education.