BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 29 MAY - SOME 30 Junior Scouts, consisting of Year Eight and Year Nine students from around the country as well as members of the special needs or disabled (OKU) Junior Scouts from Pusat Bahagia recently learned the qualities needed to be a “Patrol Leader” in the “7th National Patrol Leaders Course” recently held at the National Scout Training and Activity Centre in Gadong. Jointly organised by the Co-curriculum Education Department, Ministry of Education and the Brunei Darussalam Scouts Association (PPNBD) the course was held to further develop the leadership, as well as responsibility and cooperative qualities of the participants, particularly those required to be a “Patrol Leader.” The Patrol system is considered to be one of the main essences of the scouts. Patrols can comprise of as many as seven Junior Scouts where they are given the opportunity to learn to work with one another. The Patrol Leader will then bear responsibility of planning out the various activities in a patrol. Over the course of three days, participants were given exposure as well as guidance and knowledge of leadership in Scouting and also taught the roles and responsibilities as well as physical and mental toughness needed in carrying out their duties as a Patrol Leader. Apart from participating in training activities, the Junior Scouts were also given practical training in knotting, marching, Semaphore, map-reading, compass-reading as well as took part in group discussions and presenting the results of their discussion to boost their confidence for public speaking. At the end of the course, certificates and prizes were presented to the trainers, Scout Leaders as well as to the participants of the course by PPNBD Vice President, Pengiran Abd Wahab bin Pengiran Hassan. Also present at the closing ceremony was Jalil Pengarah Hj Kapitan, Head of the Uniformed Unit in the Education Curriculum Department of the Ministry of Education, officers from the Co-Curriculum Education Department, course trainers, scout commissioners, and scout leaders.