Producing highly skilled child educators

http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=86535

Producing highly skilled child educators

by Geryl Ogilvy Ruekeith. Posted on January 12, 2011, Wednesday

KUCHING: National Permata (Early Childhood Education Development Programme) centres will be set in every parliamentary constituency in the country as part of the government’s plan to produce many world class early childhood education teachers.

PHOTO: MALAYSIA BOLEH: Fatimah (front, third right) poses with (from right) Abu Bakar Marzuki, Dr Sabariah and Saidatul and course participants as they give a 1Malaysia sign to symbolise that each would succeed during the three-week programme.

To be implemented under the 10th Malaysia Plan, this would ensure proper running and development of the programme throughout the country, said Prime Minister’s Office National Permata Department secretary Saidatul Akhma in her speech yesterday.

Pointing out that it was important to have sufficient high skilled educators in the early childhood education sector, Saidatul said that the course would have world class syllabus and that it was important to promote and attract as many individuals (teachers) to attend Permata’s courses.

She was representing Special Officer in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Siti Azizah Sheikh Abod at the launch of ‘Series 18 and 19, 2011 Educators’ Course’ held at the Sarawak Foundation auditorium at Jalan Sultan Tengah, Petra Jaya near here.

“When it comes to the development of early childhood education and care, Sarawak is among the most committed and aggressive states in the country.

“Sarawak is the only state that has the full commitment and back up from its state government. Permata’s objective would be difficult to materialise and would not have succeeded if not for the full cooperation from the Chief Minister’s Department here which was given the mandate to administrate and develop this programme,” she continued.

Saidatul also expressed her admiration for the Chief Minister’s Department, which has managed to give quality education to the rural communities such as those in the interior of Song and Bario.

In 2009, the National Permata Department allocated about RM17.9 million for the building, repair and upgrade of about 49 pre-schools in the state, which in turn strengthened the educational and co-curriculum programme here.

Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Datin Fatimah Abdullah who officiated at the launching said that a total of 94 pre-school teachers would be taking part in ‘Series 18 and 19, 2011’ of the Permata Educators’ Course starting Jan 9 till Feb 3 here.

The almost one-month course, held at Sarawak Foundation, is made possible with contribution from the Prime Minister’s Office National Permata Department.

“This course is very much welcomed here as it would give new perspective to pre-school educators in producing a paradigm leap in the teaching and learning process of early childhood education, especially in its agenda to increase the quality of early childhood education in this country,” she continued.

Fatimah, who is also chairperson of Sarawak Early Childhood Education Development Council (MPAKS), further said the state realised the importance of early childhood education for a cognitive and effective development of children, which also included the development of socio-emotion of children from all ages.

Last year, a total of 74,610 children in the state received early childhood education in 81 pre-schools and 2,015 kindergartens. About 85 per cent of the centres were managed by the public sector.

Fatimah also announced that for this year, the sixth annual ‘Pre-school Educational Convention’, organised by the state government, would take place in Bintulu and its focus would be on ‘Multiple Intelligence Development’ among the children.

The ceremony yesterday also saw Fatimah launching Sarawak Early Childhood Education and Care online portal on social networking site Facebook.

Also present at the launch yesterday were director of Human Resource Development and Quality Unit of the Chief Minister’s Department Dr Sabariah Putit, Sarawak Foundation director Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki and Sarawak Islamic Council’s Education Services Bureau director Datu Dr Adi Badiozaman Tuah.