Develop positive thinking, teens told
POSITIVE thinking is a habit that needs to be practised by teenagers, according to the Ministry of Education.
"If the road to success needs a strategy, then it is important that teens plan features that could help them achieve it," said Minister of Education Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Abu Bakar Hj Apong during the opening of the "The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective Teens" workshop at the Chancellor Hall of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD).
One of these features was positive thinking, said the minister, which helps build confidence and create change. Having positive thoughts meant having a "reflective" attitude such as the ability to assess and measure one's strengths and weaknesses, followed by improving and overcoming weaknesses at the same time fostering their strengths to succeed.
"Positive thinking can act as a defence that can deflect elements which have adverse effects in life," he said adding that this is one of the reasons why positive thinking is linked with faith and belief in Allah SWT.
Furthermore, advancements in Info-Communication Technology (ICT) has made life more challenging for teenagers and they have to offset these changes with wisdom.
"Teens must be able to adapt these changes all the while adhering to the ethics and way of life in Brunei," he said.
The minister pointed out that habits could be changed, repaired and improved with knowledge according to the needs and skills of the individual.
He said that the workshop was in line with the government's steps to promote positive thinking and instil moral values and ensure that teens contribute to the country's development, at the same time cling on to the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) philosophy.
"I hope that this programme will give an impact in instilling positive habits in teens as well as eradicate negative habits," he said.
According to organiser Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) Bhd Managing Director Javed Ahmad, the programme is set to be an eye-opener for teens.
"This programme will make teenagers realise that interdependence, teamwork and collaboration are more important and beneficial than independence," he said. "They will learn what it takes to move from dependence to independence and finally, towards interdependence."
He also said that effective teens will create a "trickle down" effect in society by becoming role models to their friends and family, they will cause a positive waves that will penetrate and become part of the Bruneian culture.
The "habits" the teens will learn are essentially seven characteristics that happy and successful teens all over the world have in common, according to a statement by BIBD, organisers of the event.
Dubbed the "private victory", Habits One, Two and Three will deal with self mastery, while "public victory" will cover Habits Four, Five and Six which touch on relationships or teamwork. The last habit, would be the habit of renewal, which feeds on all the other six habits.
About 150 students from aged between 11 and 19 years old participated in the workshop facilitated by six experts from Malaysia.
The three-day workshop stemmed from a popular book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens" by Sean Covey, and was part of an education initiative by BIBD.
By Hana Roslan via The Brunei Times
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