KEPALA BATAS: Fond of strorytelling, Nur Afaf Najhan Fairuz decided to join her school's online public speaking competition during the Movement Control Order (MCO).
To her surprise, the 11-year-old pupil of SK Pokok Sena here was crowned the champion today, for her five-minute video on "Bahasa Jiwa Bangsa" which she had submitted last month.
Nur Afaf Najhan said her mother had helped her with the script and even trained her for the competition.
"My teacher encouraged me to join a public speaking competition before, but unfortunately, the school was closed due to MCO.
"Nevertheless, when my school announced the online competition, I took up the challenge and 'Alhamdullilah', I won," she said when met at her house at Taman Bertam here today.
School headmaster Mohd Zubir Mat Zain came to her house to present her the prize.
She said that the competition also cured her longing for school.
Her mother Wan Suriati Wan Ishak, 44, expressed gratitude to the school for keeping their students occupied during the MCO.
"It is a good initiative, and we as parents, can also help them with it.
"Such a competition can help boost her interest in reading and participating actively in beneficial activities," she added.
Meanwhile, Mohd Zubir said Nur Afaf Najhan's video had come out tops of the total 52 submissions received since the competition was launched on April 10.
He said that the competition was held to uncover students' talents.
"It is also considered part of their academic activities eventhough they are at home due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Apart from this, the school also organised an azan (Muslim call to prayer) competition during the MCO period," he added.