HIS Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam brought cheers to thousands of teachers and students in schools in the Brunei-Muara District yesterday, as part of his scheduled visit after consenting to present house key plaques during a ceremony at the International Convention Centre in Berakas earlier.

The monarch’s first stop was at the recently-completed primary school in Kg Perpindahan Lambak Kanan, Mukim Berakas, followed by the Meragang Sixth Form Centre in Mukim Serasa.

Greeting the monarch upon arrival at the Lambak Kanan Primary School was its principal, Md Shari bin Hj Abd Kahar.

The school, opened in July last year, is currently accommodating 526 students, 38 teachers and 11 non-teaching staff.

During his visit, His Majesty took a close look at lessons in progress at classrooms and the school’s facilities including its ICT room, Science labs and Administration block. Meanwhile, the school children greeted His Majesty with an enthusiastic good morning followed by a number of interactions with the monarch, who took a keen interest in the students’ academic activities including study projects and religious based activities such as the Dikir recitation.

Before leaving the school, His Majesty received a pesambah from the school’s principal and consented to sign a guest book to commemorate the visit. The pesambah, a portrait of His Majesty was part of the school’s Year 2 students’ project themed the “People’s Monarch”.

His Majesty also consented to take a group photo with the teachers and staff before he was bid goodbye by hundreds of students at the school’s compound.

On the other hand, at the Meragang Sixth Form Centre, His Majesty was greeted upon arrival by its principal, Mdm Chong Li Chen.

Thousands of pre-university students and tutors lined up the school’s hallways to greet His Majesty’s second visit to the school, his first being in 2010. The monarch first took a close look at an Art exhibition at the school’s foyer, which featured an array of artworks from the school’s talented Art students.

His Majesty also toured other facilities of the school that covers an area of 4.86 hectares, including its lecture hall, reading room, Art studio, ICT rooms and its Administration office. The monarch took a very keen interest in the development of Art students in the school, praising the work done by the students while touring the school’s Art studio.

The sixth form centre, which opened in 2009, currently accommodates over 1,200 students with a skilled multi-national teaching staff of more than 100.

While touring the school, His Majesty took his time to speak to the students to learn more about their academic developments. Equipped with pens and papers along with their cameras, the students took the golden opportunity to obtain their beloved monarch’s autograph and took photographs with the benevolent ruler.

Towards the end of the visit to the school, His Majesty also consented to take a group photo with the school’s academic and non-academic staff as the students looked on.

His Majesty also consented to receive a pesambah by one of the students in the form of a portrait of the monarch, from the school’s principal. The monarch also signed a guest book to commemorate his visit to the school.

Even after the end of His Majesty’s visit, the students were still heard expressing their joy in having met with His Majesty, and many described the exhilarating experience of anticipating and receiving the monarch’s visit. - Borneo Bulletin (31 May 2013)