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Bilingual education in Brunei: the evolution of the Brunei approach to bilingual education and the role of CfBT in promoting educational change: <strong>full</strong> report 2.3 The evolution of the MoE-CfBT relationship: from recruitment link to bilingual education partner This section discusses the evolution of the relationship between the MoE and CfBT. A key feature of this theme relates to the perceived change in the nature of the ‘dialogue’ between the two partners from about 2006. Increased communication within the wider educational community was also reported to have taken place between the MoE, schools, CfBT and other stakeholders such as examination boards. Figure 22: Shift of relationship between MoE and CfBT over time From recruitment link • Improved dialogue and change in ‘nature’ of communication • Earning and building trust on the foundation of past successes • Ability to implement change at a national level • Increased accountability, the MoE taking ownership by setting targets and CfBT being held accountable for delivery • Increased singularity of focus between stakeholders. Key message: ‘Learning the lessons together’ To bilingual education partner Previously it was felt that there might have been reluctance in handling, or a degree of uncertainty around, the clarification of rubrics; for example there were questions and recommendations about marking schemes for examination papers. However, the need to ensure the O Level better fitted the Brunei context and the need for clarity about requirements eventually led to improved contextualisation of the O Level exam to suit local needs and discussions supporting the introduction of the IGCSE. Respondents argued that there now appears to be more of an ‘openness’ and perceived framework for ‘tripartite dialogue’ between the examination boards, the MoE and CfBT. While the MoE is perceived to be taking charge, explaining their requirements and expectations in a more specific manner, CfBT is viewed as being more able to participate and contribute towards discussions that may have previously been viewed as ‘off limits’ or exclusively at the ‘inner table’. The period between 2005 and 2006 (along with events that influenced the range of activities and initiatives for teaching and learning English that took place afterwards) is felt to have been a watershed in the evolutionary path of the MoE-CfBT relationship. In May 2005, the then Minister of 46
Bilingual education in Brunei: the evolution of the Brunei approach to bilingual education and the role of CfBT in promoting educational change: <strong>full</strong> report Education had expressed concern about the level of O Level English attainment in Brunei that had shown only modest improvements since the inception of the bilingual education system in 1985. 124 ‘[The Minister] sought recommendations from CfBT for improving English language performance overall and O Level results in particular. CfBT was informed that [the] Minister wanted to see a 30 per cent increase in students gaining Credit grades, bringing these to nearer 20 per cent of the students sitting the examination.’ 125 At the about the same time, in what was termed a ‘key aspect’ of CfBT’s response to this new challenge, CfBT UK commissioned a study assessing the impact of CfBT’s work in Brunei, and making recommendations to refocus this work, under the guidance of Professor John Stannard. Educationalists in the UK may recognise John Stannard as a highly influential education expert who was the former Director of the National Literacy Strategy in England. This was a very high-profile national educational initiative that received major investment by the New Labour Government in 1997. Its main aims were to raise literacy standards for 11 year olds in National Curriculum tests and implement a framework for teaching literacy, including the introduction of a daily Literacy Hour in schools. A parallel National Numeracy Strategy was introduced in 1998 and the two programmes were later integrated to form the National Strategies. The National Strategies were seen as a crucial component of the Raising Standards agenda that combined accountability pressure, 126 especially target setting, with investment and support, with a major investment in materials and CPD. The National Strategies were widely recognised as being highly successful in supporting raising attainment by external evaluations 127 and in improving the quality of teaching, although the accountability pressures associated with target setting were not popular with all schools or teachers’ professional associations. Prior to his involvement in the National Literacy project, Professor Stannard was also a specialist adviser on English language to Ofsted and a district inspector for nursery and primary schools in what was then known as the Inner London Education Authority. In 2000, Professor Stannard was awarded a CBE for his services to education. In 2005, he became Principal Consultant at CfBT providing advice and strategic guidance on a range of national and international education projects, including Brunei, other parts of south east Asia, Canada and the Gulf region. During his time with CfBT, Professor Stannard devised and supported three key innovations: Success in Cambridge O Level Public Examinations (SCOPE), Sharing Practice in Effective Language Teaching (SPELT) and the Common Framework. The notion of a ‘post-SCOPE’ era, frequently cited by CfBT project leaders, paints a vivid picture. The ‘before’ of what seems like a rather dreary, plodding, pre-2006 period of incrementally rising, plateauing, and in 2004 even decreasing, secondary student attainment scores at English O Level dramatically shifting into the ‘after’: a post-SCOPE era characterised by innovation, improved English teaching and learning quality and increased attainment. The proportion of students achieving A-C grades improved by an unprecedented five percentage points between 2006 and 2007, and continued to rise. The MoE’s expectations had set ambitious targets regarding the increase in student attainment in the English O Level examinations; these had been met and exceeded. This was viewed as a highly promising development; it had enhanced CfBT’s credibility as a change agent that could ‘deliver’ and pointed to the potential benefits of future collaboration if the relationship was retained and continued to be nurtured. 124 CfBT (2007) p. 7 125 ibid. 126 Sammons (2011); Sammons (2008) 127 Earl et al. (2003); Beard (2000) 47
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