DUBAI: Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor has described the RM100mil allocation to the Permata programme under Budget 2010 as a recognition of the importance of early childcare and education in Malaysia.
The prime minister’s wife said it would enable projects already planned under the Permata initiative to be carried out with the cooperation of various partners including ministries and institutions of higher learning.
“I’m very happy as this means more of our young children, including those in rural areas, will be able to attend good nurseries using up-to-date syllabus,” she said after attending a joint Hari Raya and Deepavali celebration with Malaysians staying in the United Arab Emira-tes (UAE) here on Saturday.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the allocation when tabling the budget at the Dewan Rakyat on Friday.
The Permata programme includes efforts to establish Permata Negara centres for children aged under five.
Joyous occassion: Rosmah (right) chatting with a Malaysian family residing in the United Arab Emirates at the joint Hari Raya and Deepavali celebration in Dubai on Saturday. Looking on is Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (second from right). The programme has been introduced in 457 childcare centres to date and successfully nurtured 17,565 children.
Exceptionally intelligent students should excel through the Permata Pintar programme that will be implemented by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in collaboration with the University of Johns Hopkins of the United States.
Rosmah, who is chairman of the National Permata Policy Executive Committee, said Malaysia needed a programme tailored for exceptionally smart children so parents would stop sending them to other countries for education.
“If we don’t come up with something now, these gifted children may end up working overseas when they grow up,” she said, noting that such a situation would be a loss for Malaysia.
The first camp for such children will be held in December, she said.
Rosmah also expressed hope that it would eventually be an annual affair attended not only by Malaysian children but also those from the Asean region and beyond.
Another Permata initiative is the Permata Seni which aims to train intelligent and talented students in the performing arts. It will be implemented by the Ministry of Information Communication and Culture.
The Permata Insan scheme intends to educate students to understand, internalise and practise the fundamentals of Al-Quran. This programme will be administered by Univer-siti Sains Islam Malaysia for students between aged nine and 12.
Rosmah is in Dubai to attend the Women in Leadership Forum.
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