CfBT Education Services has been partnering with the Ministry of Education (MoE) in Brunei for over 40 years, primarily through the English Language Teaching Project.

CfBT’s vision is to play a key role in Brunei’s aspiration to have a high-quality education system and be a country of educated, highly skilled and accomplished people.

CfBT’s mission is to build partnerships to produce high-impact evidence-based education outcomes by strengthening systems, developing capacity and empowering learners.

As an employee of CfBT, you have the opportunity to make an important contribution to the success of the English Language Teaching Project through your specialised teaching, and your involvement in education projects and professional development opportunities. 

To begin the application process, you need to apply on the EDT website or CfBT Brunei website, via their respective ‘Work with Us’ links. Look for ‘Primary English Teachers – Brunei’ or ‘Secondary English Teachers – Brunei’ listings and click on the relevant listing to apply. As part of the application process, you will be asked to create a profile and upload relevant documents to your profile.

If your application is selected for initial screening, you will be contacted by a member of our recruitment team in the UK for a preliminary discussion via a Teams call. A follow-up video assessment may also be arranged. If you are shortlisted for a face-to-face online interview, you will be contacted by a member of the recruitment team in Brunei. 

Teacher interviews are conducted by a panel comprising an Education Development Manager (EDM) who line-manages teachers within the Project, a CfBT Brunei HR representative, and a representative from the Brunei Ministry of Education (MoE). If you are successful at the interview stage you will move to the pre-offer stage and be invited to an informal follow-up online meeting with an EDM in which you have the opportunity to ask questions about living and working in Brunei, as well as being given an FAQ sheet covering a range of relevant topics, similar to this one but more detailed in respect of the role of an English language teacher in Brunei.

If you have successfully met all the requirements to teach in Brunei, you will receive a letter of offer valid for one year, followed by a contract of employment, subject to reference and background checks. CfBT’s largest intake of new teachers would usually take place in January (due to the Brunei government school year which runs January to December). Other intakes will be held during the year when required.

An initial contract of employment is offered from January of the first year through to December of the following year (i.e. two years). If a teacher commences later in the year, the contract will still end in December of the following year.

Schools in Brunei vary widely in terms of size, age, location, and state of repair – from the very modern to those in some need of renovation. Primary schools usually have around 300-400 pupils enrolled, with around 1000 pupils enrolled at the larger secondary schools. 

In terms of the daily routine, the primary school teaching day is from the morning until mid-afternoon. Most secondary schools have teaching in the morning only with tuition classes for students in examination years, or meetings, scheduled in the afternoons. See also Q10: What is the school day and week like? 

A primary school is managed by a head teacher (known as the guru besar) who is usually assisted by a deputy, depending on the size of the school. A secondary school is managed by a principal, assisted by two deputy principals. There is a standard hierarchy of management within a school comprising heads of departments and senior teachers.  

In primary schools, there is usually only one CfBT teacher, who will likely be the only expatriate in the school, whereas, in secondary schools there is usually a small team of CfBT teachers. Both primary and secondary teachers work closely with their Bruneian colleagues in the school’s English department and liaise with class teachers over student progress and welfare. The CfBT primary teacher role is a fulltime English teaching position, not a generalist teaching role.

Class sizes for both primary and secondary schools can vary from the very small (as few as five students), to significantly larger numbers of students, sometimes up to 40 although this is rare.

Temburong District
Temburong is a quiet, rural district which is connected to the mainland by a 30km bridge across the bay. Its largest settlement is Bangar. Living in Temburong suits teachers who don’t mind a limited variety of retail outlets, restaurants and entertainment in exchange for being surrounded by natural beauty and virgin rainforest. It is possible to live in Bandar and commute to Temburong.

Tutong District
Pekan Tutong, Tutong is a small town approximately 30 minutes’ drive from downtown Bandar (closer if you live near the edge of the city). It has a peaceful, rural atmosphere with a small range of shops and facilities. Teachers sometimes choose to live in Tutong, although many live in Bandar and commute via the highway.

Belait District
Kuala Belait, Belait is a mid-sized town near the border with Malaysia (Sarawak). It is the gateway to the offshore oil and gas industry. As well as the local population, Kuala Belait hosts a sizeable British and Gurkha army garrison, as well as expatriate oil workers from a range of nationalities. It has well-developed sports and recreational facilities. There is an international school (primary-only).

Brunei-Muara District
Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital and largest city in Brunei, is a green and pleasant urban environment. BSB (as it is colloquially known), located in the Brunei-Muara District, retains a slower pace of life while offering a wider range of shopping and recreational opportunities. As the international schools offering full primary to secondary schooling are located here, families with school-aged dependents are prioritised for a Bandar posting.

The appropriate dress for Brunei is fairly conservative, both in your professional and personal life.

At school, male teachers should wear smart long trousers with long sleeved shirts and tie. They should wear smart shoes with socks but not sandals. Some teachers prefer to wear a traditional long-sleeved Malay style shirt with Mandarin collar. With this, a tie is not required. 

Female teachers are required to wear skirts in school, as trousers are not allowed. The neckline of the top should be high and sleeves should be full length. Hemlines should be ankle length. Often women choose to wear the traditional baju kurong which consists of a full-length skirt with a tunic style, and can be made to order easily. 

Most of the students are Malay Muslims, but there are also many Chinese students who may be Bruneian citizens or permanent residents. In more rural areas, indigenous groups may be represented.  

In terms of ability and motivation, Bruneian students are on a par with their counterparts elsewhere. They range from highly motivated to reluctant learners with a range of abilities and needs.  Within the government school system, students with mild to moderate special educational needs are educated in the mainstream.

English proficiency varies greatly among students, with some having very little grasp of English to those with a good command of the language.   

As in any country, discipline problems do exist, although they tend to be born of frustration and manifest themselves more in lethargy than in confrontation. Systems to deal with such problems are in place in most schools, though they may not always reflect home-country systems. 

The school year is from January to November. The longest school holiday period takes place at the end of the school year in December. There are around 10 to 11 weeks’ school holiday per year, usually taking place in March, June, September and December, though certain holidays are dependent on the timing of the Holy Month of Ramadhan. Some public holidays, such as His Majesty the Sultan’s Birthday, Brunei National Day and Teachers’ Day are deemed as ‘in-state’ requiring teachers to remain in the country. 

All teachers normally arrive at school between 7.00am – 7.15am for morning assembly or form duties. There is a split weekend on Friday and Sunday, with Saturday being a normal school day.  All teachers normally have a block of two or three co-curricular / extra-curricular (CCA/ECA) periods once per week in addition to their curricular loading. All teachers are expected to be available until 4.30pm for any school-related activities on working days, though they are frequently able to leave before then.

Primary: Teaching takes place from 7.30am – 3pm. A normal teaching load is typically 15 curricular contact hours a week, equivalent to 30 teaching periods of 30 minutes each.

Secondary: Teaching takes place from 7.30am – 12.30pm. A normal teaching load is typically about 14-18 curricular contact hours a week, equivalent to 28-36 teaching periods of 30 minutes each. Teachers also must be in school for four ‘stay-backs’ of 1.5 hours for an additional six hours per week. This time is set aside for clubs, extra classes, meetings, professional development, planning and preparation.

In primary schools, there are class sets of graded phonic readers in each school, issued by the Curriculum Development Department (CDD). For Pra (pre-school), CDD has produced thematic posters and flashcards that align with the syllabus units. In addition, there is a wide range of teaching materials that have been developed by our teachers. These can be accessed on the CfBT SharePoint Resource Portal. 

In secondary schools, there are core textbooks produced by the CDD for each syllabus which are issued to every student. CfBT has also produced many support resources over time and these are also available in schools or from CfBT.  

In both Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei’s capital) and the southernmost district of Kuala Belait, CfBT has offices which include an education resource centre with books, magazines, videos etc. as well as photocopying facilities. As resourcing levels vary from school to school each teacher has an annual photocopying allowance which can be used in the education resource centres.

In primary schools, teaching is supported by:

• a bespoke curriculum designed to meet the needs of the Bruneian student,  
• the primary syllabus in which all learning objectives for the year are provided for each year group, and  
• a suggested teaching programme from Pra (Pre-School) to Year 6 but teachers are able to develop their own. 

In secondary schools, students in the lower secondary section (years 7-8) follow a Bruneian national curriculum, which covers the four language skills (reading, writing, listening speaking). There are bespoke textbooks to support the course, although these are now somewhat dated. Most teachers choose to design their own lessons, as long as the curriculum is covered. 

In the upper secondary section (years 9-11), students are streamed according to their proficiency levels:

Students with advanced-level English proficiency (C1-C2) will sit for the O Level English (Cambridge) exam at the end of year 11 which assesses students on their writing, reading comprehension and speaking skills. There are textbooks available to support this course, although many teachers choose to create their own or use additional resources.

Students with intermediate-level proficiency in English (B1-B2) will sit for the IGCSE ESL (Cambridge) exam at the end of year 11 which assesses students on their writing, reading comprehension, listening and speaking skills. There are textbooks available to support this course, although many teachers choose to create their own or use additional resources.

Students who are still working at a beginner proficiency level in English (A2-B1) do not sit for external exams. These students are placed into a vocational stream and would be taught English as an additional language, focusing on functional communication skills. The teacher may also use their English lessons to support the students in their other English-medium subjects.

There is a large range of e-resources and teacher-created resources available on our CfBT Shareportal.

Schools vary in terms of the technology available to teachers. An increasing number of schools now have data projectors in some classrooms, and schools usually have an ICT room. Access to the Internet or Wi-Fi is mostly available but the quality of the signal varies depending on the location. 

There are eight Education Development Managers (EDMs), who line manage teachers. Teacher performance is ascertained through a variety of means such as Advisory Lesson Visits, Walkthroughs, Teacher Record Audits (work scrutiny), formal Performance Review Meetings, target setting and feedback from school leaders. Learning conversations are a key part of this aspect of professional learning. Teacher classroom performance is assessed against the Brunei Teaching Standards (BTS) and the Teacher Performance Appraisal system (known as TPA 2.0), both of which are criteria based. Assessment is undertaken by both the school and the EDM. 

Teachers are also supervised at their school, usually by the head of department or, in smaller primary schools directly by the guru besar (principal). 

Please see also Q16: What is my relationship with the school administration? 

All teachers must demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. This is essential to their role as a teacher. Specifically, a teacher must have: 

• a clear commitment to safeguarding children and young people in all circumstances; 
• a clear commitment to implementing and adhering to CfBT’s safeguarding and child protection policies and reporting procedures, ensuring the health and well-being of children/students is maintained at all times; and 
• regard for the need to safeguard students’ well-being, in accordance with CfBT’s safeguarding policies and reporting procedures.

Additional safeguarding duties for teachers include the following: 

• A responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can learn. 
• A responsibility to take appropriate action to help a child who may be in need of extra help, including making a prompt report to CfBT of any actions or referrals within the school. 
• Being vigilant and following CfBT child protection procedures if you have a child protection or safeguarding concern. 
• Ensuring all concerns of a child protection/safeguarding nature are reported and recorded as per CfBT’s Safeguarding Policy, and in a timely manner.

Whilst your EDM will be your direct line manager and responsible for your performance management, you will be part of a Bruneian school team, working collegially with local staff members and taking direction from the school administration.

As part of its contract, CfBT partners with the Ministry of Education on a range of national educational initiatives and programmes. All CfBT teachers are expected to contribute, where appropriate, to these activities as qualified and experienced specialists in participant, support or lead roles. Teachers are encouraged to apply for Resource Teacher or Lead Teacher roles, which often have additional remuneration attached to them.

Examples of Resource Teacher roles for the 2025 academic year include:

Professional Mentoring of CfBT Teachers: Induction Programme (IP) Presenters, Associate Teachers, Mentor Teachers, Collaborative Learning Afternoon (CLA)Presenters, Coaching Coordinators.

Capacity Building of Bruneian teachers: Teacher Trainers (IGCSE, O Level), Standardised Exams Writers (IGCSE, O Level), Resource Developers (IGCSE, O Level), Scheme of Work Committee Coordinators (IGCSE, O Level), Workshop Presenters.

Research: Practitioner Researchers

National Teaching Resources: Resource Portal Coordinators, Scheme of Work Committee Members (IGCSE, O Level, Scheme of Work Committee Members, Education TV (EdTV) Presenters.

Examples of Lead Teacher roles for the 2025 academic year include:

Advisory Lead Teachers: In primary for early years education and Primary integrated curriculum. In secondary for Special Educational Needs (SEN) and vocational education.

Reading Hubs Lead Teachers: Across primary and secondary, for Reading Hubs support (promoting reading for pleasure in pilot schools).

NB: These roles will be part-time and conducted in addition to the applicant’s usual teaching role and duties. Available roles are advertised annually. All teachers who have successfully completed their initial probation may apply.

CfBT is committed to the continuing growth and professional learning of all its teachers. As a learning organization, we are responsible for the capacity building of all our staff. We therefore offer a range of formal and informal development opportunities with ranging degrees of financial assistance for all involved.  

Current professional learning on offer includes:  

• Malay language training
• In-service awards for relevant postgraduate study
• Annual specialised continuing professional development (CPD) for all CfBT teachers

The induction period starts on the first working day after arrival and is usually two weeks long.   

During the induction a range of information sessions are conducted relating to: 

• administration matters,  
• immigration,
• banking,
• medical matters,
• accommodation,  
• driving a car, 
• cultural awareness, and
• company policies and procedures including safeguarding.  

Newly-arrived teachers are required to complete mandatory safeguarding and other training during the induction period.

School-specific sessions are also covered relating to: 

• the Brunei education system,  
• syllabi,  
• schemes of work,  
• assessment and reporting, and 
• Ministry of Education expectations.

School visits are arranged during the induction period.

The salary range upon commencement is from BND$4,000 to BND$5,000 (tax free), based on years of experience as a teacher. A bonus is paid upon completion of the contract period, which is 1/6^th of the salary earned during the contract. 

Benefits provided to a teacher in Brunei include the following: 

• Furnished rent-free accommodation according to marital status and family size. Please see also Q21: What sort of accommodation is provided? 
• Incoming and return (at end of employment in Brunei) economy-class flights for employee and dependents, and baggage allowances. 
• Medical insurance coverage for the employee and dependents with premiums paid for by CfBT. Please see also Q24: How is medical coverage provided for teachers in Brunei? 
• Generous education allowance for private primary/secondary schooling for up to two dependent children, or four children where both husband and wife are employed full-time by CfBT as teachers.  
• Child allowance for up to three dependent children who are below compulsory school age. 
• Use of a Company laptop.
• Interest-free loan for computer peripheral equipment (e.g. projectors). 
• Interest-free car loan. 
• Annual flight allowance paid in the second year of the initial contract, upon acceptance by the employee of the offer of a subsequent contract. 
• Financial assistance for continuing professional development.

Temporary accommodation upon arrival in Brunei will be a hotel or apartment complex, during which time teachers may view permanent accommodation options using information provided by our Property & Facilities team.

Teachers have a choice to live in either a house or an apartment. Most accommodation is furnished. Accommodation will have curtains/blinds for most windows, a lounge set for the living room, a dining set, beds and cupboards while kitchens will be fitted with a cooker, oven and fridge.  The main living area will have air conditioning, and usually the bedrooms will as well. A washing machine is also provided. 

Teachers need to be able and willing to drive a car, as public transport is limited which effectively prevents you from getting to school, to the CfBT office, to government offices or to social events by yourself. During the first month CfBT will provide you with a rental car to enable you to undertake essential activities and errands, as well as look at permanent housing options.  

There is an active second-hand car market with a wide range of car models available. CfBT offers an interest free loan of up to B$10,000 for the purchase of a vehicle.  

All foreign residents need to pass an automatic or manual driving test in Brunei before they can be issued a driver’s license. 

Some teachers with school-aged children opt to purchase two cars to facilitate travel to work and school runs.

Most teachers enrol their primary or secondary school children at one of the following schools:-

• International School Brunei (ISB) isb.edu.bn
• Jerudong International School (JIS) jerudonginternationalschool.com
• Miftah An-Nur Islamic International School https://www.miftah.edu.bn

Some of our teachers enrol their children in the following schools:

• St Andrew’s School https://saintandrew.edu.bn/
• Yayasan Primary and Secondary Schools
• http://www.primary-yayasan.edu.bn/en/
• https://www.secondary-yayasan.edu.bn/en/

A small number of our teachers choose to enrol their children in a distance or home-based learning programme for which an education allowance is also provided.

Medical care in Brunei is not free for foreign residents. Therefore, CfBT provides group health insurance coverage for teachers and their families, with annual premiums paid for by the Company. This covers inpatient and outpatient care. There is an excess of BND$300 which applies to outpatient claims.

For the first year of employment with CfBT, pre-existing medical conditions are excluded from the coverage provided for a teacher or any dependent. Congenital conditions are excluded from coverage for the entirety of the contract.

Please view the CfBT Education Services website at www.cfbt.org and a collection of videos about teaching and living in Brunei on our website at www.cfbt.org/resources. If you would like to find out more about Education Development Trust and our work globally please view www.edt.org.