The Likas Vocational College team posing for a photo with the Deputy Prime Minister.
KOTA KINABALU: Students from a Sabah vocational school won second place in the international Asia-Pacific Cooperative Youth Summit 4.0 here for their innovation on the eco-paver brick.
The team from the Likas Vocational College, consisting of Nur Maisarah Balqis Jinno, Nursari Hamid, Jiroryce Michael Chia and Muhammad Syafiq Mohd Yusri, together with their teacher-advisor Roman Pileh, took home the first runner-up spot after beating 17 other schools from various countries in the coop pitch competition.
The team, comprising diploma level students from the construction programme, received their award from Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the closing of the event at the Promenade Hotel here on July 30.
The team was also presented with US$1,500 (RM6,840) by the Deputy Prime Minister.
Roman, who is also the college’s innovation coordinator, said their presentation was on the social economic impact of their eco-paver brick.
The team had carried out a corporate social responsibility project involving a garden paver brick pathway at the Cheshire Home in Likas here, he said.
“This would enable the home's residents to be mobile in their wheelchairs around the garden path,” he said, in a statement here on Monday (Aug 7).
“Likas Vocational College is very proud to have represented Malaysia in this international event, held for the first time in Sabah,” he added.
College director Mokhtar Ibrahim said this was a double bonus after the college's innovation team won first prize in International Science, Technology and Engineering 2023 Competition in Bali, Indonesia two months earlier.
The Bali innovation team represented by Nur Izzrahatul Ronnie, Nurafiqah Syazwana Mohd Yusri and Nuralyianah Abu Bakar, who are in Year 2 of the construction programme, had also been awarded the Sabah Education Excellence Award 2023 by the state government, in recognition of their international success.
Mokhtar said the work and commitment of his students and their teacher-advisor were highly commendable as a great amount of time and energy was put into these competitions.
"Technology and innovation goes hand in hand and to be able to give back to society is what the college is trying to impart to its students,” he said.
Mokhtar hoped this would be a dose of motivation to all students not only in his college but all vocational colleges in the country, as participation in such competitions builds students’ confidence and exposure.
He subsequently expressed the college’s appreciation to Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Berhad Sabah, the Cheshire Home and all relevant parties.
“Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is the way forward for our young generation as it opens opportunities for them to excel in the future,” he said.
