BATU Lanchang Vocational College (Kolej Vokasional Batu Lanchang or KVBL), which recently swept five awards under the Penang Young Talent Excellence Incentive Scheme (SIKBMPP) – BEST! Anak Penang, can take pride in its standing as the oldest technical school not only in Malaysia but also in Southeast Asia.
According to KVBL Excellent Director Nazhar Kader Bawa, the institution, built in 1931, was originally known as the Trade School under the British administration. It was later renamed Batu Lanchang Vocational School before evolving into the present-day Batu Lanchang Vocational College.
“We still keep the original school gate, although it was dismantled in 1997. It’s 8ft wide and 7 ½ft tall. In a few years, the school will mark its 100th anniversary,” Nazhar, 57, said with a smile during an interview with Buletin Mutiara recently.
“It offered the first TVET (technical and vocational education and training) programme not only in Malaysia but also in Southeast Asia. We hope to establish a TVET museum, and we welcome collaboration from relevant parties.”
KVBL currently has an enrolment of over 700 students supported by 126 staff members and workers.
The college offers programmes including Business, Mechanical (automotive, welding, machining), Electronics and Electrical, Bahasa Malaysia, Mathematics, Science, and History. Students take two years to complete a Certificate course and an additional two-and-a-half years for the Diploma course.
Nazhar noted that TVET is rising in popularity, as evidenced by the 70,000 applications received for next year’s intake of 17,000 across 84 vocational and 84 technical schools throughout Malaysia.
“At KVBL, we can take in a maximum of 30 students per workshop due to the limited machinery and equipment. That is why the Government needs to establish more vocational schools. TVET is crucial to meeting the needs of various industries,” he stressed.
He cited China as a powerhouse with 2,000 TVET programmes, whereas Malaysia currently has only 36, hence the country’s reliance on foreign talent to build major projects such as the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system.
Nazhar added that there is also a need to consider setting up an agricultural college to support future food sustainability and security, as states like Perak, Kedah, Kelantan, Sabah, and Sarawak have already done. He also called for the establishment of a government-run culinary school in Penang, similar to those in Kangar, Sungai Petani, Kuala Kangsar, and Langkawi, so that the state can retain its talent in the F&B sector.
Since his arrival, KVBL has taken part in over 500 competitions and achieved a string of successes.
As finance was initially a concern, Nazhar said he was grateful to InvestPenang chief executive Datuk Loo Lee Lian for inviting him to speak at a seminar attended by 167 CEOs.
“Some of them had never heard of Batu Lanchang Vocational College. After that session, contributions began pouring in, and that helped resolve our financial challenges. We also began signing MoUs with many industries and private companies,” he said.
Nazhar praised the state government, through the Penang Youth Development Corporation, for organising the BEST! Anak Penang programme.
“This initiative, which began three years ago, gives students the opportunity to showcase their skills and knowledge. Guided by their teachers, our students look forward to the competition every year,” he said.
For lecturer Mohd Azrul Farhan Abdul Hamid, his proudest moment came at the Borneo International Innovation Creativity Competition (BIICC) 2025 in Kuching, Sarawak, where KVBL’s only entry won nine awards.
Among his recognitions, Mohd Azrul received the Borneo International Leadership and Educators Prize 2025, Top 2 Best Entrepreneur, Best Poster, Innovation (Measurement Component KIT V3), Platinum, and, together with student Muhammad Asyraf Roshidi, the Silver Award for Innovation: Testing Learning KIT V3.
“I’ve always set goals for my students. Our hard work paid off,” Mohd Azrul said.
History lecturer Choo Yee Chin shared that the BEST! Anak Penang competition had transformed one of her passive students into a more confident individual.
“I encouraged him to try the video competition. I told him not to worry, even if he didn’t win. When he won, he became more confident and even brought his mother to the prize presentation.
“Other students have since approached me saying they are keen to take part in next year’s competition. You can see how these awards inspire them,” Choo said.
This year, KVBL took home a total of RM10,500 from the BEST! Anak Penang awards.
Noor Fazilla Ismail, head of the Research and Innovation Department, said the incentives were highly meaningful for the students. “They are now more inspired, and, more importantly, when they leave college, they will be equipped with the right mindset and skills to thrive in the industry. We find that some students may not be strong theoretically, but they are very hands-on,” she said.
Three winning pairs — Muhammad Al Waez Mustagiim–Lee Wei Hong, Nur Irdina Qaisara Ismail–Nur Aini Qistina Shahrom Shah, and Noor Adrian Danial Noorizman Shah–Muhammad Zafran Afiq Asmadi — expressed their gratitude to their teachers for guiding them to success.
“We hope that what we’ve achieved will inspire our fellow students to step forward and take part in future competitions. Wei Hong and I submitted a five-minute video on Kemerdekaan, carrying a message of love, mutual respect for cultural diversity, and living together in peace and harmony. We’re thrilled to have won the award,” Waez said.
Beyond their competition achievements, KVBL is also active in co-curricular activities, including sailing, cycling, sepak takraw and dragon boat events. In fact, KVBL emerged sepak takraw champions in the Penang Schools Under-18 tournament this year.
With ongoing support from the state government, industry partners, and the wider community, KVBL is well poised to nurture even more young innovators and maintain its proud reputation as a leader in vocational excellence for generations to come.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Law Suun Ting