Kelantan Teacher’s AI & Heritage Work Earns RM50K RISE Educator Award

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This Spotlight is sponsored by Taylor's College.

A teacher from Kelantan has been recognised for helping Orang Asli students continue learning as their community faces relocation

Cikgu Muhammad Hafizu Aiman Jusoh of SK Pulat, Gua Musang, was named the recipient of the RISE Educator Award 2026 at Taylor's Lakeside Campus on 12 September.

His work supports the Orang Asli Temiar community in Pos Pulat, which faces relocation due to the Nenggiri Dam project.

Cikgu Hafizu received RM5,000, while his school was awarded a RM50,000 project development grant to expand initiatives benefiting its students and wider community.

The award was presented as part of the RISE Educator Award & Conference 2026, held at Taylor's University's Lakeside Campus on 12 September, which brought together nearly 200 teachers and education advocates.

Through an initiative called Rumah Belajar Tanpa Loceng, Cikgu Hafizu developed a self-directed learning model that allows students to learn beyond a conventional classroom setting

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The programme incorporates science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), artificial intelligence (AI) and digital skills while preserving the community's language and cultural identity.

His projects include Kampung AI dan Digital, the Digital Temiar Dictionary and AI Storybook Mathematics.

Students have since represented the school in district-level chess and STEM activities, while the learning initiatives have been showcased at Kerian EduTech 2026 and shared internationally in Thailand.

"When our community is going through change, I want my students to know that their dreams and opportunities do not have to change with it," Hafizu said.

"This recognition belongs to my students, their families and the community, who have shown that learning can continue and new possibilities can emerge."

Hafizu was selected from five finalists whose projects address different needs in their schools and communities

The other finalists were Dr Zul Faizuddin Osman of SK Sungai Rual, Kelantan, Mohamad Safuan Rozak of SK Desa Jaya, Pahang, Teh Zhen Kiat of SJK(C) Sungai Buloh, Selangor, and Veronica Francis of SMK St. Bernadette's Convent, Perak.

Dr Zul brought digital art, AI and STEM programmes to a remote Orang Asli school, while Safuan created more than 40 educational parody songs to make science easier to understand.

Teh has spent 12 years integrating AI, STEM and entrepreneurship into classroom learning. Meanwhile, Veronica, the award's first female finalist, helped build a school-wide culture of hands-on STEM education.

Each finalist received RM1,000, while their respective schools were awarded RM10,000 to improve their learning environments and support student development.

At the ceremony, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Dato' Dr Johari Abdul called on education to keep pace with change

He delivered the conference's keynote address, titled "Impactful Teaching, Purposeful Learning in an AI-Driven World".

"Education must move with the times, but we must always remember that its purpose is the development of our children," he said.

Johari added that the conference gave educators a space to exchange ideas and consider how they could better prepare young people for the future.

"I commend our teachers for their dedication and congratulate those recognised this year for the difference they are making in the lives of their students and communities," he said.

Also present was Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek, who said education should respond to the circumstances faced by students and their communities

"Every child deserves access to an education that recognises their potential, respects their identity and equips them for the future," she said.

"Cikgu Hafizu's work demonstrates how educators can turn this commitment into meaningful action by responding to the realities faced by their students and communities."

Taylor's College campus director Josephine Tan said the five finalists had introduced different ways of widening access to education and helping students recognise their potential.

She added that Cikgu Hafizu's combination of technology, education and cultural preservation could help students remain connected to their identity while preparing for the future.

The conference featured a panel discussion on how schools can embrace technology while preserving empathy, critical thinking, mentorship and human relationships

The session was moderated by Star Media Group deputy executive editor Dr Christina Chin. Panellists included Edvolution chief executive officer Melissa Gomes, Garden International School director of digital learning and entrepreneurship James Abela, and People Transformers founder and chief behavioural consultant Dr Brendan Gomez.

Participants also attended masterclasses covering practical teaching approaches, new strategies and ways to build resilience in their classrooms and school communities.

You can learn more about the RISE Educator Award here