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In 2009, Brunei’s Ministry of Education unveiled the National Education System for the twenty-first century, popularly termed the SPN21, to replace the 1984 bilingual education system (the Dwibahasa). What immediately stood out about the SPN21 is the apparent heavier emphasis placed on English over the Official language, Bahasa Melayu, with English being introduced much earlier in the curriculum, i.e. as the medium of instruction for Mathematics and Science from Year 1 onwards. This paper aims to evaluate the efficacies of English language-in-education policies of SPN21, focusing on the interface between macro planning and micro practices. Rather than relying on evaluative measures in terms of national examination results as a benchmark of success, this paper assesses data gathered from two micro agents: the teachers and the pupils. Teachers, as implementers of language policies, collaborate with pupils in the classroom to achieve the goals articulated by the macro planners. The pupils in this study were assessed in terms of their motivation in English language learning whereas the teachers were assessed in terms of support received from the macro agents. The findings of the surveys are encouraging with indications that the English-enhancing initiatives thus far implemented will continue to produce the desired outcomes.
