Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.
A girl from a government school in Penang — 11 years old and still in primary school — just placed third in the world.
Nur Aamily Saffiya Muhd Zabari Izyan, a Year Five pupil at Sekolah Kebangsaan Permatang Tok Mahat in Penang, won a gold medal in the public speaking category at the iWISE London Global Final 2026, held at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom in August.
She did not stop there.
Across the combined English disciplines — public speaking, creative writing and spelling — she ranked third overall out of 50 pre-qualified finalists representing 29 countries.
Approximately 500 participants competed across all categories at the global final.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek, who is also the MP for Nibong Tebal — the constituency where Nur Aamily’s school is located — presented the student with a tablet computer in recognition of the achievement.
In a Facebook post, Fadhlina said: “I like seeing children like this. It is not merely about the medals they bring home, but because at 11, her world is already so wide to explore.”
The gold medal at Surrey was not Nur Aamily’s first result on an international stage.
In February 2026, she won a silver medal at a public speaking competition in Dubai.
A Field of 500, 30 Preliminary Rounds, One Podium
The iWISE Global Final is not a regional school debate but an international academic olympiad drawing pre-qualified student competitors from across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
The 2026 London final brought together approximately 500 participants from 29 countries to the University of Surrey, ranked among the United Kingdom’s top institutions.
Competing on that campus, before international adjudicators, is itself a credential.
Entry to the global final is not open registration.
Students qualify through preliminary rounds held in their home countries, meaning every finalist in Surrey had already beaten a national field before stepping onto the international stage.
Nur Aamily’s division — the English category — tested three disciplines simultaneously: public speaking, creative writing and spelling.
The combined score determined overall ranking; she faced 50 finalists and placed third.
The top two overall positions carried cash prizes of £300 (RM1,640) and £200 (RM1,093) respectively, awarded by the organisers.
Nur Aamily’s third-place finish placed her on the same podium.
Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, X, Instagram, or Threads.
