Scouts learn leadership skills

VENTURE Scouts Leadership Course, which started Thursday, continued yesterday with the Pioneer Tower Project at the Brunei Darussalam Scout Association Training Centre in Beribi.

The Pioneer Tower Project, participated by some 53 venture scouts aged between 16 and 18 years, was one of the 17 sessions organised during the three-day course.

The enthusiastic scouts were divided into seven groups and they had to construct towers of different purposes standing at more than seven feet.

According to Junaidi Hj Hussin, head of venture scouts leadership course, the scouts were given a task the night before to produce a mini model of the tower they were randomly assigned to.

A diagram was provided to aid them in the construction of the pioneer tower.

In the construction of the pioneer tower, the scouts had to only use bamboo sticks or wood stick of three inches in diameter, rope and chopping-knives.

The pioneer towers include water mill tower, signalling tower, sailing tower, water shoot tower and steel tower.

To Junaidi, the construction of the signalling tower was probably the most challenging as one of the scouts have to climb to the top of the tower and tie knots. However, he added by saying, the task is made easier if there is teamwork among the unit members.

Tung Wai Yan from Chunga Hwa Middle School said she has the confidence to build the tower properly with her unit member. "This is my first time but actually it is not that difficult because we have learnt the knotting skills and there is teamwork."

Meanwhile, for Ahmad Najwan Hj Ishak, the task proved to be more challenging for him and his team. They had to construct the water-mill pioneer tower. "It is difficult and it is not done yet."

Ahmad and the other venture scouts were given two hours to get the towers done.

The project was aimed to assess their knoting skills in which their towers will be tested to see if it is sturdy.

Through this project and other sessions, the scouts learned about planning, time management and other leadership skills courses. In the success completion of the course, the scouts will be awarded with the His Majesty's Scout Badge.

According to Junaidi, the course was aimed to boost participants' leadership skills, self-reliance, while testing their physicals endurance and mental powers. The knowledge the scouts gained can be imparted to other scouts at their respective schools.

The course, which ends today, was jointly organised by the the Ministry of Education and the Brunei Darussalam Scout Association. (JQR1)

The Brunei Times