Over RM51 million to run 88 Permata children centres, Dewan Negara told

Permata Negara's 88 national centres receive over RM51 million to fund its operations and managament. – Photo courtesy of programpermata.my

The Permata Negara programme has received over RM51 million to manage and operate 88 of its national children centres, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim told Dewan Negara today.

Founded by the prime minister's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Shahidan told Bernama that the funds were also used for emolument for Permata's teaching staff.

The minister in the Prime Minister's Department was reported as saying that the allocation also covered Permata Pintar, Permata Insan, Permata Seni, Perkasa Remaja and Permata Kurnia programmes, which amounted to RM4.04 million.

"It was also for the construction of a new national Permata Negara Centre in Jeram, Subang, Gopeng, Kuala Krai and Tanah Merah."

Permata was allocated RM711 million in the 2015 Budget.

"The Community Development Department (Kemas), and National Unity and Integration Department (JPNIN) had used the same programme, which was managed by

Permata and the agencies.

"Currently, Kemas has 448 kindergarten programmes with Permata, with 9,075 children and 1,816 teachers.

"There are 41 programmes at JPNIN involving 880 children and 246 teachers," he was quoted as saying today.

Shahidan was answering a supplementary question in the Dewan Negara, from Datuk Boon Som Inong who wanted to know if the government was planning to expand Permata at parliamentary level and especially, rural areas.

Shahidan said the Terengganu Foundation had 64 kindergartens using Permata curriculum with 3,670 children and 628 teachers.

"The community kindergartens at the work place have 101 programmes involving 2,525 children and 505 teachers," he said, adding that the government also aspired to expand the programme to all parliamentary constituencies.

Currently 18,467 children sat for the Permata Negara programme at 742 kindergartens in 128 districts nationwide involving 3,663 teachers, Bernama reported.

- TMI