Latest news with #SitiNurHanisahOmarHashim
The Star
6 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.
Borneo Post
19-07-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Keningau student finalist for Global Student Prize 2025
Hanisah KOTA KINABALU (July 19): Siti Nur Hanisah Omar Hashim, a 20-year-old student of Early Childhood Education at Keningau Vocational College (KVC), is one of the 50 finalists for the Global Student Prize 2025, which offers a total prize of USD100,000 (RM400,000) to one winner. The award, sponsored by the UK-based Varkey Foundation and is considered the most prestigious student award in the world. In 2025, the award received 11,000 nominations, and Hanisah is the only Malaysian to qualify as a finalist for this award. This list of 50 nominees was announced officially on social media and website of Varkey Foundation on July 17. Hanisah was selected as a finalist for her achievements, contributions and impact on other students and within the education community. She is the founder of a social enterprise called Mearpet, which recycles used clothing and stuffed toys into puppets used to educate and entertain children. This project has won numerous awards both locally and internationally, including RM3,000 in prize money through the Pitchbah competition organized by the OOZE youth club in 2023, as well as the YouthMADE Festival Amplify Grant from the US-based Digital Promise in 2025. It was also featured on the DidikTV KPM television channel in early 2025. Hanisah has organized social enterprise workshops and competitions at the college, which have inspired many students to develop their own social projects such as sign language tutoring classes, food waste reduction campaigns, and toy innovations made from recycled materials. These students have won several competitions, including the Social Project Challenge hosted by myHarapan and Yayasan Telekom Malaysia. Hanisah is also an outstanding academic achiever, consistently receiving the Best Student Award every year. She is also the former vice president of the college's student council. Other than the Mearpet project, she has also initiated a Malaysian University English Test (MUET) for vocational college students who plan to pursue tertiary education as well as led a virtual internationalization learning session that connects students and teachers from different countries. The college director, Lumang anak Lang, expressed pride in Hanisah's achievement, stating that this success is proof that vocational colleges under the Malaysian Ministry of Education are capable and committed to producing skilled, competent, ambitious students who contribute to society. Hanisah's profile as a 2025 Global Student Prize finalist can be accessed on:
