TUARAN: All government-run preschools (Taska) will be upgraded as Permata Centres to strengthen early education in the state.
National Permata Programme Patron Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor said initiatives had already been undertaken to ensure the success of the government’s vision including physical adjustments.
“These centres will adopt the Permata curriculum while teaching staff would be trained for six weeks to improve their skills,” she said during a function, ‘Apa Khabar Anak Permata’ at the Tuaran Anak Permata Centre near here yesterday.
Also present was State Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun.
The Tuaran Anak Permata Centre which was set up in 2007 presently has 21 pupils.
Rosmah disclosed that two more centres with a capacity of 40 children each would be built in the state this year, in Beaufort and Kota Belud. These would start operations in August.
She said the Permata Programme had been expanded to 600 preschools throughout the country involving about 20,000 children.
“To date, 32 Kemas preschools and three Perpaduan preschools in Sabah have adopted the programme benefiting about 1,500 children,” she said.
Rosmah also urged parents to give attention to their children’s early education as brain development was critical in the first four years of the latter’s life. — Bernama