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Eco-Friendly Education at Jerudong International School

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Did you study abroad during your university years? Want to give your kids the same opportunity earlier in life? Or are you simply looking for somewhere new to settle down? Whatever your situation, consider Jerudong International School (JIS) in beautiful Brunei!

The outstanding British International school, located on an extensive 300-acre campus, is renowned for its academic excellence as well as its status as an eco-friendly institution. Above all, JIS believes that endowing students with a sense of ecological responsibility is an important part of the overall academic experience. This responsibility is spurred, in part, by the school’s stunning location. Surrounded by the national park Bukit Shahbandar, as well as the nearby pristine rainforest at Ulu Temburong National Park, and the national heritage site Tasek Merimbun, JIS is perfectly suited to deliver the kind of ecologically driven education it has built a reputation for.

Let’s take a look at how Jerudong International School is making the most out of its prime location in order to provide a wholesome education to its students.

The upcoming Forest Discovery Centre
Getting lost in the woods won’t be so bad once this centre within the school’s campus is finally complete! Really, it’s not as much of a centre as a monitored ecosystem. In fact, the senior students at JIS have gotten their hands dirty – quite literally – in their efforts to help develop the discovery centre, assisting with planting trees and cleaning up the land. This ‘centre’ will allow students of all ages and curricula to get up-close-and-personal with local flora and fauna. As development continues, the school hopes to add medicinal plants and maybe even night cameras to better observe wildlife in their natural habitats.

Involving students with EcoJIS
It’s one thing to take students out in the woods and allow them to explore the wonders of nature; teaching students to discover a passion for wildlife and conservation is something entirely separate, and certainly not a small feat! This passion is the driving force behind the student-led society, EcoJIS. This society has worked hard to make a real difference, and has plenty of awards to show for it. Recently, EcoJIS earned the Silver Award status from the UK programme Eco-Schools, which aims to help students build sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyles. But EcoJIS isn’t stopping there – now the society is working toward earning the Green Flag Award! This is the highest status awarded to schools by the programme and will enhance the eco-friendly status of JIS

Marine Biodiversity Centre in Meragang Beach
JIS works closely with the Marine Biodiversity Centre in Meragang Beach to provide students with more hands-on educational experiences. One such experience is the diving opportunities open to JIS students aged 11 and up. What makes this centre so special is that it allows students and visitors to get directly involved. While visitors aren’t allowed to handle the baby turtles – born through the centre’s turtle breeding programme – they can touch and pick up older turtles with developed shells. Visitors can also play around with microscopes and other scientific equipment on display. The centre also helps rehabilitate rescued marine animals, showing their commitment to educating the public about threats to marine life.

Lending a Helping Hand in the Water Village
The Bantu charity, which is another student initiative that helps the poor in the Kampong Ayer water village. Kampong Ayer is the largest water village in the world and home to nearly 10 percent of Brunei’s total population. The students deliver food and household supplies in addition to assisting the water villagers with finding jobs and placing children in school. This unique and quaint little village has a number of families who are classified as low income. The Bantu charity is hoping to change this by providing the villagers with essential goods and support.

Duke of Edinburgh Programme for Senior Students
The DoE programme is a self-proclaimed ‘journey of personal discovery and adventure for young people’. This international award programme recognises humanitarian and ecological efforts of students aged 14-24 from all over the world. In 2015, 32 JIS students earned this prestigious award! Among these was graduate Lucy French, who received the Gold award for the work she did in Spiti, India. During her time there, Lucy helped build a greenhouse, making the bricks for the house out of mud and sand. She and her friends also hiked more than 2,000 miles, a journey which took them across part of the Himalayas! Read more about Lucy’s story and incredible achievement here.

As you can see, JIS is dedicated to teaching their almost 1700 students from 55 countries how to make a real difference through hands-on educational programmes, student-led groups and charities, and award programmes that recognise their hard work. Jerudong International School is clearly a world leader in eco-friendly schooling – and the best is still yet to come.

Want to find out more? Visit the school’s website, or get in touch via email at enrol@jis.edu.bn

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