KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry has found that 82.5% of trainees are satisfied with the implementation of the National Service Training Programme 3.0 so far.
Deputy Minister Adly Zahari said this was based on an internal assessment involving 560 trainees from Series 1 and Series 2 this year.
He stated that the ministry has also taken note of constructive suggestions from the trainees.
Among them is a request for the military module to be reinforced and conducted repeatedly, instead of just once.
He was responding to a question from William Leong Jee Keen who asked whether the government had conducted any post-evaluation study on the implementation of PLKN modules.
The Selayang MP also inquired to what extent elements of unity, values and mutual understanding among various communities are incorporated into the nationhood module.
Adly said an external evaluation by the Institute for Youth Research Malaysia is ongoing to measure key aspects such as patriotism and unity.
A full report from this external evaluation is expected in the second quarter of next year.
On the inculcation of unity in the nationhood module, he said it was designed to foster patriotism, identity and tolerance among different communities.
He explained that the nationhood module forms the core of PLKN 3.0 and was developed to instil patriotism.
This module also aims to strengthen identity and nurture tolerance and solidarity among trainees.
In response to a supplementary question from Kalam Salan on the programme’s continuity, Adly said trainees will be monitored until they enter the workforce.
This monitoring aims to ensure long-term impact on character development and the spread of national values in society.
He emphasised that the programme will no longer end with the completion of PLKN.
Adly added that involvement in uniformed bodies such as the Territorial Army is part of ongoing efforts to instil patriotism. – Bernama