Children at Pusat Anak Permata Negara (Permata) in Chini Timur 3, Pekan, have shown progress since the start of the centre's childhood education programme seven months ago. Friday November 16, 2007
Educating the very young
By ROSLINA MOHAMAD
CHILDREN at Pusat Anak Permata Negara (Permata) in Chini Timur 3, Pekan, have shown progress since the start of the centre's childhood education programme seven months ago.
Permata policy working committee chairman Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor said a preliminary study carried out by Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris indicated that children involved in the programme showed encouraging growth in self-confidence, communication and better understanding in Mathematics and Science subjects.
“We are indeed moving to the right direction,” said Rosmah, who is wife of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
There are five Permata centres operating under a pilot project and the biggest is in Chini Timur 3.
Well organised: View of the centre in Pekan.
It is also the first centre with its own building and providing early childhood education to 41 toddlers.
It was officially opened by Najib on Nov 11 and among those present were Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob and Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Yusoff Nor.
Other Permata centres are in Bandar Baru Felda Mempaga 3, Kepala Batas, Putrajaya and Subang Jaya.
Rosmah said there were 125 children between the ages of one and five in the programme nationwide and 10 more centres would be set up to house another 300 children.
Useful facilities: A wooden playhouse built for children at the centre.
“The centres will be in Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Perak, Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak.
“Centres in Malacca, Johor, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis will be operational by end of this month while the rest will commence before April next year,” she added.
She reminded parents that Permata centres were established not to replace the roles and duties of parents as the close relationship fostered between a mother and child was critical in moulding the child’s personality and character.
In view of this, Permata made it compulsory for parents to participate in activities at the centres for at least an hour a week, she said.
Inviting: Interior view of the centre.
“To date, the response of parents has been good and I hope they will continue to show such support,” Rosmah said.
At the centres, the children were taught to eat and bathe on their own, share toys, sleep at certain hours and encouraged to speak up or tell stories, she added.
Parents must reciprocate by encouraging them to do the same at home and try not to feed them or reprimand them if they asked too many questions, she said.
Najib, in his speech, said the Government would consider increasing the number of Permata centres if the programme proved effective in meeting its objective of providing children's education during their first three years.
He said that only 1% of children aged up to three received education, which meant that Malaysians had a lot of catching up to do to facilitate the process that was essential in moulding children to become useful citizens.
The figure was very low compared to developed countries such as Britain where more than 20% of those under three obtained education, while in South Korea, 2005 statistics showed that 20% of children under three and 68% of those between three and six received education, he added.
Speaking to reporters later, Najib said between RM200,000 and RM300,000 was spent annually to run the centres, adding that the success of the programme was largely due to the quality of the teachers who were either diploma or degree holders in related fields.
The teacher-student ratio was one to five, he added.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Monday, November 5, 2007
Education important for a talented 2057 generation, says Najib
Education important for a talented 2057 generation, says Najib
[NATION 5-Nov-2007]
Malays must place emphasis on starting their children's education early to produce a talented “2057 generation” to steer the nation to greater achievements, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malays must place emphasis on starting their children's education early to produce a talented “2057 generation” to steer the nation to greater achievements, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.
Umno can contribute towards this goal through early childhood education because the present two- to four-year-olds will cross from 2020 and become the generation of 2057, he said.
“It's only when we become a developed race (that) we can be confident,” he said at the Third Malay Agenda Seminar: Malays 2057 – First Series: Politics at the Putra World Trade Centre here yesterday.
In advanced countries, two-year-olds, and sometimes even younger children, join planned education processes, he said.
“Perhaps their learning techniques are different. They focus on fun learning but, more importantly, they believe that the process to build a person must begin early,” he said.
To succeed, there must be the spirit, the strategy and priority and the building of a civilisation based on the Malay culture and Islam.
He said Malays were still expecting handouts and did not pay back study loans but if they want the nation to be developed then their mindset must change.
“No matter what nice plans we have, if the Malays don't have a noble culture it is not possible for us to rise in the world,” he said.
“We may want big houses, expensive cars, imported furniture, but the most important thing is to invest in education.”
In his speech, Najib said it was not easy predicting what might happen in 50 years. Before that, Malaysia will have to go through several challenges.
“We will be at a big crossroads in 2020 because what we do after that will be based on whether Malaysia is declared a developed nation and, even if it is, whether the Malays will be a developed race,” he said.
However, the Government's development plans were to make the Malays a developed race, he said.
Najib said that the Government is also hoping to create “Melayu glocal” – Malays who are globally successful, have great personalities and live their lives according to Islam Hadhari.
He also said the efforts to make Umno attractive to the young is important because members must always refresh Umno's image so that it is always seen as a dynamic party.
The establishing of Puteri and Pemuda Umno and Umno clubs overseas were examples of Umno reinventing itself, he said.
[NATION 5-Nov-2007]
Malays must place emphasis on starting their children's education early to produce a talented “2057 generation” to steer the nation to greater achievements, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malays must place emphasis on starting their children's education early to produce a talented “2057 generation” to steer the nation to greater achievements, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.
Umno can contribute towards this goal through early childhood education because the present two- to four-year-olds will cross from 2020 and become the generation of 2057, he said.
“It's only when we become a developed race (that) we can be confident,” he said at the Third Malay Agenda Seminar: Malays 2057 – First Series: Politics at the Putra World Trade Centre here yesterday.
In advanced countries, two-year-olds, and sometimes even younger children, join planned education processes, he said.
“Perhaps their learning techniques are different. They focus on fun learning but, more importantly, they believe that the process to build a person must begin early,” he said.
To succeed, there must be the spirit, the strategy and priority and the building of a civilisation based on the Malay culture and Islam.
He said Malays were still expecting handouts and did not pay back study loans but if they want the nation to be developed then their mindset must change.
“No matter what nice plans we have, if the Malays don't have a noble culture it is not possible for us to rise in the world,” he said.
“We may want big houses, expensive cars, imported furniture, but the most important thing is to invest in education.”
In his speech, Najib said it was not easy predicting what might happen in 50 years. Before that, Malaysia will have to go through several challenges.
“We will be at a big crossroads in 2020 because what we do after that will be based on whether Malaysia is declared a developed nation and, even if it is, whether the Malays will be a developed race,” he said.
However, the Government's development plans were to make the Malays a developed race, he said.
Najib said that the Government is also hoping to create “Melayu glocal” – Malays who are globally successful, have great personalities and live their lives according to Islam Hadhari.
He also said the efforts to make Umno attractive to the young is important because members must always refresh Umno's image so that it is always seen as a dynamic party.
The establishing of Puteri and Pemuda Umno and Umno clubs overseas were examples of Umno reinventing itself, he said.
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