From Disruption to Recovery: Strategic Education Policy for Post-Pandemic Brunei

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted education systems worldwide, including in Brunei Darussalam, where extended school closures have adversely impacted student learning, particularly among those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. In response, the Ministry of Education prioritized the development of a sustainable and equitable learning recovery strategy. Guided by an integrated theoretical framework combining Educational Resilience Theory and Systems Theory in Education, this study investigates the extent of pandemic-induced learning loss and identifies strategic policy interventions. A qualitative approach was employed, incorporating document analysis, secondary survey data from 36,740 students across 147 public schools, and structured school-level observations. Analysis of the data identified two key contributing factors to the learning gap: human-related and organizational challenges. The study proposes four policy alternatives and recommends the integration of the Student Resource Management System (SRMS) and the Learning Accelerated Recovery Program (LARP) as strategic responses to mitigate learning disparities. This paper advocates for a resilient, inclusive, and future-ready education system aligned with Brunei’s long-term national goals.