PUTRAJAYA: SK Putrajaya Presint 11(1) has been named the winner of the World’s Best School Prize 2025 for Supporting Healthy Lives.
It is the first Malaysian school to win the prize.
The school triumphed over shortlisted schools from Turkiye, India, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, Vietnam, Mexico, Brazil and Thailand.
Founded in 2022 by T4 Education, the World’s Best School Prizes are among the world’s most prestigious global school prizes, recognising outstanding achievements in five categories: Community Collaboration, Environmental Action, Innovation, Overcoming Adversity and Supporting Healthy Lives.
This year, a total of US$250,000 (RM1.05mil) was awarded to the winners, with each of the five prize recipients taking home US$50,000 (RM210,750).
SK Putrajaya Presint 11(1) was recognised for its innovative HELPIE mobile health application, designed to improve students’ mental well-being by offering tools for stress identification and management along with interactive games and health campaigns.
Since its introduction, the school recorded a 60% drop in student stress levels.
More than 90% of students reported a deeper understanding of their emotions, while 87% said they were more aware of their stress levels.
The initiative also earned recognition, including the AIA Healthiest Schools Competition in Bali last year.
Efforts are now underway to publish HELPIE on Google Play so it can be integrated into counselling programmes in other schools.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said looking ahead, the Education Ministry would ensure the initiative’s impact is expanded nationwide.
“The ministry will provide continuous support so that future innovations and experiences can be shared with other schools.
“The secretary-general and the director-general will follow up to see how it can support the wider system,” she added.
HELPIE project lead and English language teacher Mohd Saharudin Setapa said with bullying cases on the rise in schools, it is more important than ever to prioritise students’ mental health.
He said winning this prize was not just about recognition but their commitment to creating safer, more supportive learning environments for every child.
T4 Education and the World’s Best School Prizes founder Vikas Pota, said: “As the winner of the World’s Best School Prize for Supporting Healthy Lives, your trailblazing work will inspire educators and policymakers across the globe. Thank you for everything you do,” he said in a press release.
The winners in the other four categories were A Favor del Nino in Mexico City, Mexico (Community Collaboration); Arbor School in Al Furjan, Dubai, UAE (Environmental Action); Franklin School in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States (Innovation); and Escola Estadual Parque dos Sonhos in Cubatao, Sao Paulo, Brazil (Overcoming Adversity).
Winners were selected by an expert judging academy based on rigorous criteria.
Meanwhile, the Community Choice Award went to ZP School Jalindarnagar in Taluka Khed, Maharashtra, India.
It received the highest number of votes in a public vote among the 50 schools shortlisted for the five World’s Best School Prizes.
All winners and finalists will be invited to the World Schools Summit in Abu Dhabi, UAE, scheduled for Nov 15 to 16.
They will share best practices and expertise with policymakers and leading global education figures at the event.
