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 Chegg.org, 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.
