Background

An exceptional leader of courage and foresight, championing early education as pivotal to national competitiveness

The child is a promise of what a nation can be and will be. Those who nurture the talent, unlock the potential and build the capability of a country’s future generation will have put their mark upon the destiny of a nation.While children comprise one third of Mankind there is one who sees children as the whole of Mankind’s future. YABhg. Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor sees in the early education of children the solution to all social issues and an investment in the future of a country.

Since 2006 she has been championing early education as pivotal to the change Malaysia needs to sustain its global competitiveness and in safeguarding its peace and stability. She mooted the establishment of Permata Negara in 2007, a landmark initiative to harness the talent and creativity of children at an early age – below the age of five.

To many the significance of what she has achieved in so short a time may be lost because they fail to see past her status as the wife of Malaysia’s sixth Prime Minister, YAB Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak. But she has always been a mother first, deeply involved in the nurturing of her own children. When experts spoke about addressing the education of the child at an early age she understood full well the potential of doing so.

Permata Negara – a turning point for Malaysian education

She turned to local experts and engaged in long discussions to explore ways of introducing the concept in Malaysia. Permata Negara was the result – the jewel in her crown in being instrumental in creating a turning point in Malaysian education.

Permata Negara is a unique programme in that it builds children’s confidence in a holistic manner that includes quality time with parents to add value and strengthen bonds. The programme has since widened to include gifted and talented children through the establishment of Permata Pintar and Permata Seni. The spiritual aspect is addressed through Permata Insan.

Every child is precious. Every child is born with limitless potential. I believe in investing in early childhood care. Education and care are long-term, a firm foundation for national growth, productivity, social cohesion and peace.

Today Permata centres can be found all across the nation, creating a wave of change through human capital that will strengthen the nation as it evolves and faces daunting challenges from within the country and beyond.

A lady of charisma and charm, full of humour and sharp wit

Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor as a person is both charismatic and charming - qualities that hide a sharp, incisive mind which she uses to size up situations and respond with intelligence. Those who work closely with her will testify to the long hours she spends perusing publications and discussing her discoveries. She has always been insatiable in her thirst for knowledge and her travels abroad are fact-finding missions. The ideas that she brings back she adapts to the needs of the many organisations that she helms, including BAKTI which is a gathering of wives of Cabinet Ministers.

Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Anthropology from University Malaya and a Masters Degree in Sociology and Agriculture from Louisiana State University of the United States of America.

Starting a global dialogue on children’s rights and early education

Being the wife of the Prime Minister has given her a platform that she uses with wisdom and foresight, hence her attempts to reach out to the world through the collaboration of wives of world leaders. She mooted the First Ladies Summit in 2010 using the theme “A Child Today, A Leader Tomorrow” to provide the vehicle for better engagement with people in meaningful ways. To these women of power she has brought her views on children and begun a global dialogue that will see Malaysia contribute to the development of children in other countries.