30 schools to take part in Toyota Eco Youth 2025

UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) has announced the names of 30 schools shortlisted for Toyota Eco Youth (TEY) 2025. The event, held annually since 2001 in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, challenges secondary school students across Malaysia to develop innovative and sustainable environmental solutions.

These solutions are not just proposed in presentations but must also be turned into real-world action and actionable projects in the communities around the participating schools.

8-Step Problem-Solving Methodology
The teams from the 30 schools attended a 2-day workshop at a hotel in Shah Alam, Selangor where they were taught Toyota’s 8-Step Problem-Solving Methodology. This will provide them with skills to use on their projects. By using the approach that Toyota uses throughout its organisation, they can identify issues, understand root causes, and implement practical, sustainable solutions.

At the workshop, students and their teacher-advisors gained vital tools, mentorship, and inspiration to help them turn their ideas into real-world action. The students are empowered not only to think critically about environmental issues, but also to engineer practical, sustainable solutions – transforming ideas into action and challenges into opportunities.

 

Project funding and cash prizes
Each school receives RM3,000 in grant funding to kickstart their TEY projects. In addition, participating teams will compete for cash prizes totalling RM77,000 across multiple award categories. Besides prizes for the top 3 teams, there will also be prizes for the Best Social Media Campaign, Best Presentation and Best Exhibition (at the closing ceremony event). Recognizing the role that teachers play, there will also be an award for the Most Supportive Teacher.

Comprehensive, holistic evaluation criteria
Each project will be evaluated across 4 key dimensions to ensure balanced, real-world impact:

1. On-Site Judging (40%): Practical execution and effectiveness of project implementation at the school or community site.
2. Presentation of Project (20%): Quality, clarity, and persuasiveness of project storytelling and analysis.

3. Exhibition (20%): Creativity, interactivity, and visual presentation of the project in an exhibition format.

4. Social media/Community Engagement (20%): Outreach efforts to engage, educate, and mobilize the broader community through both online and offline initiatives.

After the on-site project evaluations, only the Top 15 schools will advance to the Grand Finals where they will be judged again based on their presentations and exhibitions to vie for the grand prizes. The winning teams will be announced at a convention exhibition and closing ceremony in October 2025.

“With their passion and the right tools in hand, these young changemakers are no longer just imagining a better world — they are building it. Through Toyota Eco Youth, we are proud to be part of their journey as move their world toward lasting, sustainable impact,” said Datuk Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor.

Click here for the names of the 30 participating schools and to know more about Toyota Eco Youth 2025.

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