Latest news with #MalaysianUniversityEnglishTest
The Star
2 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Keningau vocational student among finalists for global award
Sabah, Keningau, Keningau Vocational College, Student, Siti Nur Hanisah Omar Hashim, Finalist, Global Student Prize, Finalist, Social Enterprise, Mearpet, Upcycling, Puppets, Storytelling, Sustainability, Inclusive Education Siti Nur Hanisah Omar Hashim is the only Malaysian running for the Global Student Prize 2025 title. KOTA KINABALU: A young woman from Keningau has been named one of the 50 finalists for the prestigious Global Student Prize 2025, the only Malaysian selected from over 11,000 nominations worldwide. Siti Nur Hanisah Omar Hashim, 20, a final-year Early Childhood Education student at Keningau Vocational College (KVC), is reputed to be a trailblazer in vocational education, sustainability and inclusive learning. Among her initiatives is social enterprise Mearpet, which transforms used clothes and stuffed toys into puppets for early childhood storytelling. The project promotes sustainability while preserving local culture through performances of Sabah's indigenous folk tales. It also engages students with disabilities, providing inclusive opportunities in design and performance. 'I have always been passionate about upcycling since my lower secondary years. Living near Kota Kinabalu, I often saw plastic waste polluting the waterways. That inspired me to act,' she said when met recently. Upon joining KVC, she launched Mearpet, which quickly gained traction. The college became a collection hub for pre-loved clothing and toys, with some donations arriving from as far as Peninsular Malaysia, receiving over 200 tonnes of materials. With her peers, Siti Nur Hanisah transformed Mearpet into a thriving enterprise that creates educational tools and novelty items from recycled materials. She also founded The Path Forward, a programme offering free Malaysian University English Test (MUET) preparation classes to vocational students, a group often excluded from this academic requirement for higher education. The programme has now become a permanent part of the college's offerings. Beyond the classroom, Siti Nur Hanisah leads Virtual, Remote, Live (VRL), a digital learning platform that has connected over 2,500 Malaysian students and teachers with international educators through online masterclasses and exchange sessions. KVC director Lumang Lang said Siti Nur Hanisah's success highlights the calibre of students that vocational institutions can produce. 'Hanisah is living proof that vocational colleges under the Education Ministry can produce ambitious, capable and socially driven individuals who make a genuine difference,' he said. Siti Nur Hanisah hopes to win the prize and launch a state-wide social entrepreneurship competition for Sabahan youth, expanding Mearpet by developing commercial puppet kits and locally inspired educational materials. Sponsored by the UK-based Varkey Foundation and the Global Student Prize recognises outstanding students who are making a significant impact in their communities. The winner will receive US$100,000 (about RM420,000), and the finalists were announced on Thursday (July 17). The top 10 finalists are expected to be announced next month, and the champion will be known by September.
Daily Express
15-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Express
Education aid for 170 top scoring students
Published on: Tuesday, July 15, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jul 15, 2025 Text Size: The students in a group photo after receiving the aid. Kota Kinabalu: More than 170 students received assistance from the Sabah State Education Fund (TPNS) in line with the Sabah Maju Jaya Development Plan's objective of developing human capital. The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Datuk Dr Arifin Mohd Arif, said the award is part of a government initiative approved by the Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor. Advertisement 'Today, we are distributing TPNS assistance and State government initiatives to more than 170 recipients, including 74 outstanding STPM students who achieved a perfect score of 4.0. 'The Chief Minister commends the students' achievements and each student who earned a perfect 4.0 GPA received RM1,000. 'One student from SMK Kota Klias, Beaufort, stood out at the national level in STPM and awarded RM3,000 for their outstanding performance. 'We are also proud to present contributions to 20 students who achieved excellent results in the Malaysian University English Test (Muet). Each student received RM1,000, as it is no easy feat to excel in this examination,' he said when met by the media after the Sabah State Education Fund Honorarium Presentation Ceremony for Outstanding STPM and Muet Students 2024 at Dewan Saadah, Wisma Muis. At the same event, 22 students received TPNS contributions for successfully pursuing their studies at the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) level, in addition to the presentation of the Anak Sabah Excellence Award (Aksa) and the Bistari Award. 'We've recently added a new initiative called Bayu, which provides RM150 in Muet exam fee assistance to 8,000 students, bringing the total aid close to one million ringgit. 'This means those who sit for the Muet examination will no longer have to pay the fees themselves, as these will be covered by the government,' he said. 'To date, we have spent over RM13 million for more than 10,000 students through the Sabah State Education Fund. It is estimated that this year alone, we have allocated RM74 million for 14 initiatives, which we refer to as Bagus, Budi, Baik, Bisbah and Bakti, among others.' He added that the State government continuously increases allocations for human capital development to ensure balanced growth is achieved. Also present at the event were the Director of Yayasan Sabah, Datuk Seri Ghulamhaidar @ Yusof Khan Bahadar; Assistant Minister of Finance, Datuk Tan Lee Fat; Director of the Sabah State Education Department, Datuk Raisin Saidin; and Chief Executive Officer of the Sabah Islamic Religious Council (Muis), Datuk Ramlan Awang Ali. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
12-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
RM1,000 aid for STPM, MUET top scorers
Published on: Saturday, July 12, 2025 Published on: Sat, Jul 12, 2025 Text Size: Group photo with the top STPM 2024 students. Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah State Government's commitment to strengthening education through the Yayasan Sabah Group was further reinforced with the distribution of the Sabah State Education Fund (TPNS) assistance held on Friday (11 July) at Wisma MUIS. The event was officiated by the Sabah Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation and Chairman of the TPNS Implementation Committee, Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Arif. Also in attendance were the Director of Yayasan Sabah and Deputy Chairman of the TPNS Implementation Committee, Dato' Sri Haji Gulamhaidar @ Yusof bin Khan Bahadar, members of the TPNS Committee, as well as representatives from government agencies and educational institutions. This year's ceremony saw a total of 123 outstanding students. Among them, 74 students from the 2024 Malaysian Higher School Certificate (STPM) and 22 students from the Malaysian University English Test (MUET) examinations each received a RM1,000 cash aid to ease their financial burden as they pursue higher education. In addition, five Master's degree students and 22 PhD students were also given financial aid. During the same ceremony, educational assistance was also extended to students under several existing initiatives, including the Bantuan Galakan Usaha Sekolah (BAGUS), Skim Umum Kecemerlangan Siswa (SUKSES), Bantuan Insentif Siswa Terbaik (BISTARI), Bantuan Tunai Pelajar (BANTU) and the Anugerah Kecemerlangan Sijil Akar (AKSA) as part of the continuous efforts to support the State's human capital development. TPNS is a proactive initiative by the Sabah State Government through the Yayasan Sabah Group aimed at alleviating the financial burden of low-income families. It also reflects the government's commitment to ensuring that education is accessible to all segments of society. This event aspires to motivate students to excel in their studies, in line with the Yayasan Sabah Group's mission of developing a knowledgeable, skilled, and competitive generation that can contribute holistically to the socioeconomic advancement of Sabah. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Sun
24-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
Desire to uplift family drives Orang Asli student to STPM excellence
KUALA LUMPUR: The desire to improve her family's social standing became the driving force for Orang Asli student Roziana Tan Beng Hai to emerge as one of the top scorers in the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) examination. Roziana, a student of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tanjung Gemok, Kuala Rompin, Pahang, said it was sheer hard work and discipline that led to her being named the 2024 STPM Best Student in the Orang Asli category by the Malaysian Examinations Council (MEC). 'My inspiration is to improve my family's social standing, and then elevate my social status... so that I can stand tall as a great Orang Asli,' she said. She said this after the 2024 STPM, Malaysian University English Test and Malay Language Proficiency Certificate for Foreign Nationals Outstanding Student Award Ceremony here today. The awards were presented by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek. Roziana, who obtained 4As with a perfect cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.0, said her life, which is full of hardship - such as the lack of electricity and internet in her village and a daily school commute of nearly one hour - only strengthened her resolve to the point of being willing to stay in the school hostel for a year and a half to focus on the STPM preparation. Asked about her plans, Roziana said she had put Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) as her top pick to further her education in economics, which is her field of interest. 'I am keen on economics, so I plan to study in that field... UKM is my preferred choice because it is one of the best varsities in Malaysia,' she said. Meanwhile, for Nik Muhamad Ahnaf Rujhiee Raja Anuar, the 2024 STPM Best Student in the Special Needs (blind) category, revision and practice were the keys to his success, in addition to often asking teachers if there were things he did not understand. 'I always asked my teachers if I didn't understand anything. Over time, I managed to have a better grasp of the subjects and, alhamdulillah, it paid off today,' said Nik Muhamad Ahnaf, who obtained 4As with a CGPA of 4.0. Another top STPM student, Ahmad Hanif Roslan attributed his keen interest in history for propelling him to excel in the subject and be named the Best Student in the 2024 STPM History Subject. 'For me, history is an interesting subject. I never get bored reading about history, although others may feel otherwise. But I know that we can learn a lot from history,' he said. Earlier, MEC chairman Prof Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff announced the 2024 STPM results, which recorded a national CGPA of 2.85, the highest ever recorded since the examination's inception. He added that a total of 1,266 candidates, or 3.06 per cent, achieved a CGPA of 4.00, an increase of 150 candidates compared to 2023.
Barnama
24-06-2025
- General
- Barnama
Desire To Uplift Family Drives Orang Asli Student To STPM Excellence
KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 (Bernama) -- The desire to improve her family's social standing became the driving force for Orang Asli student Roziana Tan Beng Hai to emerge as one of the top scorers in the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) examination. Roziana, a student of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tanjung Gemok, Kuala Rompin, Pahang, said it was sheer hard work and discipline that led to her being named the 2024 STPM Best Student in the Orang Asli category by the Malaysian Examinations Council (MEC). 'My inspiration is to improve my family's social standing, and then elevate my social status… so that I can stand tall as a great Orang Asli,' she said. She said this after the 2024 STPM, Malaysian University English Test and Malay Language Proficiency Certificate for Foreign Nationals Outstanding Student Award Ceremony here today. The awards were presented by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek. Roziana, who obtained 4As with a perfect cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.0, said her life, which is full of hardship - such as the lack of electricity and internet in her village and a daily school commute of nearly one hour - only strengthened her resolve to the point of being willing to stay in the school hostel for a year and a half to focus on the STPM preparation. Asked about her plans, Roziana said she had put Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) as her top pick to further her education in economics, which is her field of interest. 'I am keen on economics, so I plan to study in that field… UKM is my preferred choice because it is one of the best varsities in Malaysia,' she said. Meanwhile, for Nik Muhamad Ahnaf Rujhiee Raja Anuar, the 2024 STPM Best Student in the Special Needs (blind) category, revision and practice were the keys to his success, in addition to often asking teachers if there were things he did not understand.
