AIA Malaysia has revealed the winners of its AIA Healthiest Schools Competition, which recognises schools for promoting healthy habits amongst students and prioritising student wellbeing.
The competition aims to instil health awareness among Malaysian schoolchildren and encourage them to craft and implement innovative ideas to make schools healthier and happier places of learning.
The competition, which ran from Oct 2023 to March this year, received submissions from government, private and international schools nationwide.
The winning schools received prizes totalling USD 100,000 (approximately RM470,000) under the winner and highly commended awards across primary and secondary school categories.
SK Putrajaya Presint 11(1) emerged as the winner for the primary school category with its innovative HELPIE health mobile application initiative. Designed to enhance mental wellbeing among students, the app provides tools for stress identification and management, along with engaging games and health campaigns.
As a result of this project, over 500 students at the school reported a reduction in stress levels from 34 per cent to 18 per cent, while 92 per cent reported improved emotional understanding.
Meanwhile, for the secondary school category, SMK Convent Butterworth clinched the top spot with its Eco-Jump Rope and Dumbbell project, aimed at promoting active lifestyles among students.
This initiative utilises zero-cost workout equipment crafted from recycled materials, encouraging students to engage in eco-friendly workouts. The project fosters fitness and sustainability, promoting creativity, teamwork, and a greener lifestyle among students.
AIA Malaysia chief executive officer Ben Ng says their goal is to empower, educate and inspire individuals to lead healthier, longer and better lives and the AIA Healthiest Schools programme is an extension of this purpose.
"It's a privilege to celebrate the remarkable efforts of our children and educators who have made a tangible difference in promoting health and wellness within the school setting."
From innovative mental health apps to eco-friendly fitness projects, the competition entries received this year were nothing short of inspiring and these creative initiatives have made a real impact, not just in reducing stress and improving fitness, but in fostering a sense of community and shared purpose among students, he adds.
The primary and secondary school winners – SK Putrajaya Presint 11(1) and SMK Convent Butterworth will represent Malaysia at the AIA Healthiest Schools Regional Awards scheduled to take place this July in Bali, Indonesia. Both schools will compete on a regional level against winning schools from five other AIA markets, including Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia, and Vietnam where one winner (school) will walk away with USD100,000.
