destinations

Brunei Project

About CfBT

CfBT Education Trust is one of the top twenty charities in the UK. It was founded over 40 years ago and has its head office in Reading. CfBT's mission is to raise educational standards for public benefit through the worldwide projects that it undertakes. In the UK, CfBT has been involved in schemes including Fasttrack, Connexions and Young, Gifted and Talented, and also works with government and local authorities in a range of educational areas. Worldwide, the organisation works with governments and NGOs in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, primarily to improve the standards of state education.

Teachers in Brunei receive a good, tax-free salary; free housing of a very high standard and a range of other benefits:

Salary and benefits

Take home pay of B$42,000 B$77,000 p.a. (www.xe.com), tax-free. Note: the Brunei dollar is pegged to the Singapore dollar.

Accommodation
Return airfares and baggage allowance for teacher and dependants
Annual flight allowances for renewing teachers
Pre-departure briefing in home country and orientation course in Brunei
Cambridge in-service certificate in ELT for those without EFL qualifications
Malay language and IT training
Education centres with libraries, teaching resources and computer/internet facilities
Professional, administrative and welfare support
Interest-free car loan upon arrival
Subsidised private group health insurance scheme, plus free government healthcare for children under twelve and pregnant women
Settling-in allowance of B$500 per teacher
Subsidised education for up to two children

Cost of Living

Food, petrol, eating out and utility bills are generally much less expensive than in countries such as the UK. With no rent to pay, annual flight allowances, and cheap recreational activities in Brunei and neighbouring Malaysia; most teachers find that they are able to save a significant percentage of their salary.

Minimum Qualifications

(NB: though not essential, a driving licence is a definite asset for all positions.)

Primary teachers must meet the following requirements:

Under 52 years of age at start of contract (Bruneian government regulation) with:

A degree from a university in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand or the UK, and to have completed basic and tertiary education in one of these countries
Qualified teacher status (i.e. qualified to teach within the state education system in your home country), usually in the form of a B Ed /Dip Ed/ Dip Teaching /PGCE, preferably for primary aged students
A minimum of three years' classroom teaching experience. This should include some young primary aged students (5-6 years of age). Some experience of English/literacy EFL/ESL learners is preferable

Secondary teachers must meet the following requirements:

Under 55 years of age at start of contract (Bruneian government regulation), with:

A degree, preferably in English/linguistics/humanities, from a university in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, or the UK, and to have completed basic and tertiary education in one of these countries
Qualified teacher status/teacher certification (i.e. qualified to teach within the state system in your home country), usually in the form of a B Ed/Dip Ed/Dip Teaching/PGCE, preferably for secondary aged students
A minimum of three years' classroom teaching experience. This should include some secondary students (11-18 years of age) and some teaching of English and/or EFL/ESL

Opportunity Overview

CfBT Education Trust delivers a major educational project to the Ministry of Education in Brunei. Due to the ongoing success of this well established project, CfBT will be recruiting over sixty additional primary and secondary teachers of English during the coming months.

Compared to other tax-free teaching destinations, Brunei is a well kept secret. Highly attractive amongst married and single teachers alike, it allows a wonderful cultural experience with a high standard of living in a laid back environment. There are also good opportunities to save money. Many people who had intended to stay for one or two years are still working with CfBT in Brunei a decade or more later. Feedback from these teachers suggests the following reasons for this:

The project being undertaken for the Ministry of Education is a high level and important one. It is making a real difference to Bruneian children and teachers, and to the country as a whole.
The tax-free salary allows teachers to have a very comfortable lifestyle and save significantly, especially if they stay for two years or more.
Brunei is a safe and laid back country with all modern amenities. The expatriate community enjoys a busy social scene; alcohol can be bought across the border and consumed at home and there is an array of great restaurants and sports clubs to choose from.
In addition, those looking for nightlife can be at the bars, discos and restaurants of the Malaysian border towns within an hour by car, ferry or river taxi.
The holiday allowance provides ample time for visiting the region. Singapore, Bali, Thailand, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Cambodia are all within a couple of hours by plane from Brunei, whilst the fascinating Malaysian parts of Borneo are right on the doorstep. The Brunei dollar has a very high purchasing power in the region.
Many teachers find the lighter administrative load in Brunei allows more free time to spend with children, pursue hobbies, or socialise. In addition to this, primary teachers generally finish at 12.30 between 2 and 5 days per week.
CfBT is a highly respected, well established, not-for-profit organisation that looks after its teachers well. The organisation works at governmental level worldwide to promote its mission of improving education for public benefit. Fasttrack and Young, Gifted and Talented are two of the high-profile programmes that CfBT runs for the UK government. See www.cfbt.com for details of similar projects worldwide.
Even stays of one or two years offer significant benefits apart from saving money and seeing the region. In particular, the Cambridge in-service certificate allows teachers to return to countries such as the UK, Canada, Australia or New Zealand with stronger skills in teaching second language students an increasingly important attribute.

Further Details

Teachers working in Brunei are assigned to primary or secondary state schools to teach English. The education system in Brunei, like those of many countries, is in a state of development. The government is working hard to establish a curriculum to fit the needs of its citizens in the competitive global economy. The raising of standards of English is a fundamental part of this goal. CfBT is delivering and measuring progress in this area through initiatives such as SCOPE, which has successfully raised attainment in O-level English beyond the targets set by the government.

The schools

Schools in the country vary widely in terms of size, age, location and state of repair, from the very modern to those in some need of renovation. In line with this, CfBT teachers must be prepared to teach in any school, in any district in the country, whether rural or urban. The Professional Department takes individual circumstances and preferences into consideration where possible. Naturally, however, the prime consideration is to meet the needs of the Ministry of Education. Primary teachers will only be teaching 5-6 year olds. Secondary teachers may be teaching any secondary age groups.

No matter which district teachers are posted to, they are all assured of good quality housing, and access to a welfare and professional support service that has been established for over 20 years. There are also recreational opportunities in each of the districts, as explained further in the spotlight on Brunei section. Though teachers are answerable to their Bruneian school principal on a daily basis, they are extremely well-supported by CfBT through any professional or personal challenges they may face.

The housing

Housing in Brunei is generally of a good standard compared to what is offered to teachers in other expat destinations. It is, in general, relatively spacious, making Brunei an excellent choice for families. The vast majority (though not all) of our 200+ teachers live in large, detached houses, surrounded by a garden or yard. Our teachers also live amongst Bruneians as well as other expats, making for a more integrated and interesting experience than might be found in other destinations, where all expats live together on a compound.

Upon arrival, our housing department will place you in appropriate temporary housing. They will then work with you to find a house that suits the needs of you and your family. After 25 years of bringing teachers to Brunei (and 40 years in other countries) CfBT knows how important it is to get you settled as quickly as possible. It is also in everyone's interests that you feel as comfortable as you can with your new life as you begin your professional role with us.

Nevertheless, it is a good idea to arrive in Brunei with realistic expectations about housing. Some flexibility is required after all, you are moving to a new country, which has a different culture, and where you do not have the same control over your life as you do in your home country. It is also a tropical country, where streets and houses have been created out of cleared jungle. Fittings and furnishings may age, at least superficially, more quickly than they do at home, for example.

It is not always possible for new arrivals immediately to find houses which exactly match the ones occupied by people who have been here for many years. Often, our existing teachers began by living in houses which met most of their requirements, then found their perfect place after they had finished their initial contract. Neither is it always possible for our housing department to predict exactly what the individual taste of each teacher (or their spouses) will be. We do our very best to give you a choice of suitable housing, and it will meet your basic needs in terms of number of rooms, etc. However, you may have to wait anything from two weeks to three months to find a permanent house, depending on what exactly you are looking for, and how particular you are. If you have strong ideas about colour schemes; do not want to be near any neighbours; or have a very exact view of the type of garden which is acceptable, for example, then this is fine - but you should be prepared for a slightly longer wait.

All in all though, housing is one area where teachers (particularly those who have taught in other overseas destinations) tell us that Brunei has a lot to offer.

The students

The students in Brunei's schools are generally polite and well-behaved. They are used to being firmly and clearly directed, and lack the antagonistic or aggressive attitude which may be present amongst young people in some countries. There can be problems with discipline or motivation, as at any school. However, normal classroom management skills are usually quite sufficient in dealing with them. One particular issue in Brunei is that learners have a relatively heavy academic load. Some do not initially feel able to rise to the challenge, but they do respond extremely well to teachers who are willing to help them succeed.

Learners are familiar with being taught by non-Bruneian teachers, especially in secondary schools. They are also tolerant of expatriates and any lack of knowledge of the country, its language and its customs. Naturally though, teachers who try to learn about these areas quickly become popular with students, colleagues and parents. CfBT helps teachers to build up their knowledge as quickly as possible.

The working week

Schools, like government offices, are normally closed on Fridays and Sundays, with Saturday being a working day. This means that during term time, Friday and Sunday are "weekend days" for teachers. Though this working pattern will be new for most teachers, the majority find the working week less demanding than that which they had at home. For example, many teachers find that they have more time during the evenings and at weekends in Brunei, with less paperwork than they might have had in their home country.

With one or two exceptions, primary schools operate a morning session only, from 07.15am to 12.30pm. Of the 30 secondary schools, half a dozen run morning and afternoon shifts (12.30pm to 17.30pm), with teachers working one shift only. The rest conduct morning lessons during the same hours as the primary schools. Secondary school extra-curricular sessions are mounted in addition to normal teaching hours, and all teachers are expected to take part in these activities to varying degrees. In most schools where this occurs, it currently involves teachers being available on three afternoons a week.

It should be noted that teachers are occasionally asked to attend local celebrations, even when these fall on Fridays, Sundays or declared national holidays. However, many teachers - and especially newcomers - find these to be a highly enjoyable experience. There are also a couple of schools which require teachers to be on duty in the evening once or twice a month, to supervise students in hostels.

Public holidays and school holidays

Brunei operates a four term year, each of 10/11 weeks, with a 10 day or 2 week holiday between each term, and then 4 or 5 weeks in November/December. There is also "Hari Raya"; a holiday to celebrate the completion of the Muslim fasting month. This falls 10 days earlier each year. In 2008, for example, holidays were as follows:

7 individual public holidays during term time
11 days holiday in March;
15 days holiday in June;
19 days holiday in September;
32 days holiday in November/December

For further information about Brunei please click here