KUALA LUMPUR: Aikal Danish Juman from Kampung Indah in Nabawan has overcome rural limitations to join the International Baccalaureate Organisation’s Youth Advisory Council.
The nineteen year old second-year International Baccalaureate student at Kolej MARA Banting was selected from over one thousand four hundred applicants across ninety two countries.
He becomes one of only twelve students worldwide chosen for the 2025-2026 term and the sole Malaysian representative on the council.
Aikal Danish will represent Asia-Pacific students and contribute to education policy discussions at international platforms including the IB Global Conference 2025 in The Hague.
“Growing up in an area that requires at least an hour’s travel to the nearest city, I am deeply aware of the economic and educational gaps faced by rural students,” he told Bernama.
“In Nabawan, opportunities are scarce and limited. Many high-potential students like me have to work many times harder just to access opportunities that are often readily available to students in urban areas.”
He highlighted real issues from his rural background during the selection process which required three essays and two video submissions.
“The IB YAC selection process is very strict, but I made sure my responses were always honest. I wasn’t focused on saying ‘what they wanted to hear,’ but on presenting the real challenges I see every day, whether in Nabawan, Sabah, or at Kolej MARA Banting.”
He aims to work directly with IB leadership to ensure fair access to educational opportunities for all students regardless of background.
His experience as Deputy President of the Student Representative Council at KMB prepared him for this international role.
Kolej MARA Banting Director Zanita Zakaria described his achievement as historic since this marks the first formation of the Youth Advisory Council.
“We consistently encourage student participation in leadership platforms such as the MPP and the Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) programme, which are core components of the IB, to develop global leaders in line with our tagline, ‘Nurturing Leaders for a Better World’,” she said.
Aikal Danish aspires to study neuroscience and become a neurologist while dedicating his success to his parents and close friend Jacqueline Atat. – Bernama
