Well done: Aisha and Ithnin (seventh and eighth from left, respectively) with the top 10 finalists at the award ceremony.
TRAVELLING abroad is a much-coveted opportunity for many students.
For Tye En Yee, her trip to Sydney, Australia, this July is a well-earned reward – the grand prize for winning the ELS English Language Ambassador Award Essay Writing Competition 2024.
There, the Form Four student from SMJK Chung Ling Butterworth, Penang, will embark on a one-week study tour at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, experiencing what it’s like to study abroad through social events, cultural programmes and excursions around the metropolitan city.
En Yee, who not only won the trip but also a cash prize of RM2,000 – bringing the total value of her award to RM15,000 – was honoured at an award ceremony on May 7.
The event celebrated the top 10 winners of the national competition, which drew the participation of 29,426 Form Four and Form Five students from 457 schools.
In the early stage of the competition – organised by English language education provider ELS Language Centres (ELS) – the participants took part in an eight-week online interactive English writing programme to prepare for both the competition and the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) English Writing examination.
The competition culminated in the selection of the top 10 essays, which were then further evaluated by a panel of judges. The shortlisted candidates were interviewed to determine their final rankings.
At the award ceremony, Education Ministry Sports, Co-curricular and Arts Division director Ithnin Mahadi commended the top 10 winners on their achievements.
In his speech, Ithnin said the new 2027 national curriculum “will focus even more strongly on language mastery, critical thinking and digital competence”.
He noted that initiatives such as the ELS English Language Ambassador Awards are well aligned with these priorities, as they provide “authentic, realworld platforms for students to sharpen their language skills, cultivate their thinking abilities, and express themselves confidently”.
In her address, ELS board of governors chair Puan Sri Datin Aisha Shamsuddin shared her aspirations for the programme.
“Through the awards, we hope not only to encourage better language skills, but also to foster clear thinking, strong writing, and confident communication – all qualities that will serve our young people well, especially as Malaysia prepares for an exciting future ahead,” she said.
In the 2024 edition of the annual competition, Form Four student Amal Syifa’ Asim from SM Sains Hulu Selangor, Selangor, claimed second place, while Form Five student Natalie Yeoh Yong Yun from SMK Infant Jesus Convent, Johor, came in third. They won cash awards of RM1,500 and RM750, respectively.
All finalists received a trophy, a certificate of achievement, co-curricular marks and a one-year subscription to the JustRead online programme and Digital English Skills Grammar & Vocabulary.
Prizes were also awarded to the Grand Champion’s school, as well as the top 20 schools and students in the online writing programme.
All participants who completed the online writing lessons with an average grade of at least 70% received a certificate of participation and co-curricular marks.
Also present at the award ceremony were representatives from the Australian High Commission and ELS strategic partners: UNSW Sydney, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Sunago Education, and Just English.
Since 2022, ELS has organised the English Language Ambassador Award Essay Writing Competition as part of its corporate social responsibility efforts to support the Malaysian government’s push for improved English language proficiency among secondary school students.
Supported by the Education Ministry, the initiative is designed to help Form Four and Form Five students strengthen both their academic and creative writing skills, preparing them for the SPM English Writing examination.
Registration for the 2025 ELS English Language Ambassador programme is open until June 30. For more details, visit elsaward.els.edu.my.
