SHAH ALAM – Eight-year-old Aisya Azzahra Muhammad Amirul Izzat made a memorable international academic debut after emerging as the world champion in the Grade 2 category at the International Joey of English Competition Global Finals 2026 in Istanbul, Turkiye.
The Year Two pupil competed against participants from 34 countries, marking her first participation in an academic competition overseas.
Her father, Muhammad Amirul Izzat Roszaki, said Aisya’s courage to step out of her comfort zone and take on the challenge at such a young age was more meaningful than the gold medal itself.
“We always remind Aisya that we need to do our best, then leave matters of sustenance and the outcome to Allah SWT.
“We want her to see competitions not as a form of pressure, but as an opportunity to learn, challenge herself and gain experience,” he said.
Aisya had previously focused more on chess and is a national chess player who has represented Malaysia at international tournaments in Indonesia, Mongolia, China and Singapore.
Amirul said the family decided to give her the opportunity to explore a different field after she was invited to take part in the academic competition in Istanbul.
“We were very happy and grateful, and even surprised when Aisya was announced as the world champion because this was the first time she had participated in an academic competition overseas.
“What made us most proud was that a young child from Malaysia was able to compete with participants from other countries on the international stage,” he added.
The family also faced financial challenges in making the trip possible, particularly after Aisya had recently participated in the 2026 Asian Youth Chess Championship in Shenzhen, China, and the Asean+ Age Group Championship in Singapore.
“However, the support and contributions from family and friends to cover the trip to Istanbul were among the factors that helped Aisya realise the opportunity.
“I hope this achievement will encourage Aisya to continue developing her love for knowledge rather than becoming too focused on winning.
“Hopefully, she will remain brave in trying new things, stay humble and view every experience as an opportunity to grow,” he said.
He also advised young people not to fear failure, saying every challenge provides an opportunity to learn and improve.