Shahnaz Al-Sadat, Chairperson of LeapEd Services Sdn Bhd, has been named among the ten Finalists for the inaugural Asia Education Medal. Founded this year by T4 Education and HP, the new award will be given to an outstanding individual who has demonstrated impact, leadership, and advocacy in the field of education.

The Asia Education Medal recognises the tireless work of those who are transforming education across the continent – celebrating the stories of those who have lit the spark of change so others will be inspired to take up the torch. It is given to an outstanding individual who has demonstrated impact, leadership, and advocacy in the field of education.

The winner of the Asia Education Medal will be invited to attend the World Schools Summit in Dubai on 23-24 November and, in recognition of the urgent need to solve the teacher recruitment and retention crisis to tackle learning gaps, the winner will be entitled to nominate a school of their choice to receive membership of T4 Education’s Best School to Work programme – an independent, evidence-based mechanism to certify schools for their culture and help them transform their working environment to attract and retain the best teachers.

Shahnaz Al-Sadat is Chairperson of LeapEd Services Sdn Bhd in Malaysia, an award-winning social enterprise and Malaysia’s first homegrown Education Service Provider, which undertakes education transformation programmes and projects that support the system, school leaders, teachers, students, parents, and the wider community.

At LeapEd Services, Shahnaz Al-Sadat has championed the flagship Trust Schools Programme, which has seen LeapEd partner with the Malaysian government and CSR Foundations to enhance schools across multiple contexts: rural, urban, religious, vernacular, and indigenous education. LeapEd's emphasis on holistic development has led to the cultivation of essential life skills among students, enabling them to excel not only academically, but with the critical skills needed for success in the 21st century.

LeapEd has reached more than 1,000 public schools and 200,000 students, representing 10% of the Malaysian school system which in turn, presents an opportunity to influence student outcomes throughout the whole system. For example, the Ministry of Education’s TS25 initiative covering all 10,000 schools, was shaped by LeapEd’s knowledge-sharing programme (PreSTasi), based on the Trust School model.

Shahnaz Al-Sadat’s organisation has also been instrumental in empowering educators and school leaders. Through professional development programmes and mentoring initiatives, LeapEd equips educators with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to deliver high-quality teaching and leadership, fostering a culture of authentic continuous improvement. School Leadership and Teaching competencies have improved by more than 60% from their baseline over the 3–5-year period of intervention, bringing schools to an enhanced level that can be benchmarked against global standards. For example, a Trust School (SK Kempadang) became a Top 3 finalist for the World’s Best School Prize for Innovation in 2022.

Shahnaz Al-Sadat also co-founded Arise Asia, a social enterprise that has helped various projects to implement solutions addressing social disparities, and is a Founding Trustee of Teach for Malaysia, affiliated with the Teach for All network. Her most recent initiative is the ground-breaking launch of Malaysia's first digital school, Sekolah Anak Malaysia (SAM Education). SAM aims to provide quality education beyond boundaries to empower every child with personalised digital learning embedded in Malaysian values with global perspectives.

Shahnaz Al-Sadat’s impact on the education landscape is unparalleled. Her policy advocacy is influential at local, regional, and national levels, promoting equity, access, and quality education. Her relentless commitment advances educational opportunities and outcomes, particularly for marginalised or underserved communities. 

Shahnaz Al-Sadat, Chairperson of LeapEd Services Sdn Bhd, said:

“I am committed to improving the quality of education because every child deserves a bright future. Future generations need the tools to shape a better world”

Tan Sri Azman Haji Mokhtar, Chairman, Malaysia International Islamic Finance Centre (MIFC) Leadership Council and Managing Director, CEO, Khazanah Nasional Berhad (2004-2018), said:

“Shahnaz’s contributions and achievements in education in Malaysia over her 30-year professional journey is both long in quantity and deep in quality. 

“She believes, deeply, that talent, unlike opportunity, is distributed across all communities and demographics, and this, is at the core of what drives her work. I have had the privilege of witnessing this first hand over more than 20 years of knowing her, including being her supervisor and she would be a most well-deserved winner to be recognised for your prestigious award.”

Mayank Dhingra, Senior Education Business Leader at HP, said:

“Congratulations to Malaysia’s Shahnaz Al-Sadat on being named Finalist for the Asia Education Medal 2024. Her passion and dedication to transforming education will inspire countless others to follow in her footsteps in building a world where quality education is enjoyed by all.

“HP has a bold goal to accelerate digital equity for 150 million people globally by 2030. Only by joining forces and aligning with NGOs, government, educators and businesses can we truly improve the education environment. The Asia Education Medal brings together all those who are changing the face of Asian education, whose work we must all learn from if the world is to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.”

Vikas Pota, Founder and CEO of T4 Education, said:

“The Asia Education Medal honours changemakers where change is needed most. Where learning gaps remain stubbornly persistent and where deep inequalities remain. 

“If we are to tackle these colossal challenges, and unlock the continent’s future, we must build a community of leaders from every sphere of society committed to educational transformation. Leaders like Shahnaz Al-Sadat. Asia, and the world, has so much to learn from your inspirational story and your vital contribution to the next generation.” 

T4 Education is a global platform bringing together a community of over 200,000 teachers from more than 100 countries to transform education. From our T4 Communities app to our Best School to Work programme, prizes, Insights, and events, we provide teachers and school leaders with professional development and opportunities to learn, share, and network with peers from around the globe.

The Asia Education Medal is one of the three World Education Medals established by T4 Education and HP. It joins the Africa Education Medal, which was founded in 2022 and has grown to be Africa’s most prestigious education accolade, as well as the new Latin America Education Medal which was also launched this year. 

The winner will be announced in October. They will be chosen by a Jury comprising prominent individuals based on rigorous criteria.

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