Khalifa Afnan did his community proud when he was announced as the winner of the 2022 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards. The vocational teacher from the Keningau Vocational College in Sabah became the first Malaysian teacher to be selected as a winner for this global competition that recognises and celebrates the efforts of educators around the world.

Afnan was picked from over 7,000 nominations from 113 countries. He was one of the regional winners from Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia, having received 26 percent of the votes to emerge as the winner. He received digital resources by Cambridge University Press and a professional development package.

The awards come in recognition of his work in training students in technology-based disciplines, particularly in the field of robotics, drones, and coding. His dedication to the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) field resulted in increased participation among female students and special needs learners.

Much of Khalifa's passion surfaced during a teacher exchange programme, which broadened his perspective about the world of technology and fueled his passion in ICT-based subjects. Khalifa's STEM programmes have greatly impacted members of his community and opened their doors to quality education.