OVER 80 PCT OF TRAINEES SATISFIED WITH PLKN 3.0 - ADLY

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- The Defence Ministry has found that 82.5 per cent of trainees are satisfied with the implementation of the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) 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.

“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 said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

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He was responding to a question from William Leong Jee Keen (PH-Selayang) who asked whether the government had conducted any post-evaluation study on the implementation of PLKN modules to date, and to what extent elements of unity, values and mutual understanding among various communities are incorporated into the nationhood module, which accounts for 30 per cent of PLKN components.

Adly said an external evaluation by the Institute for Youth Research Malaysia is ongoing to measure key aspects such as patriotism and unity, with a full report 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.

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“The nationhood module, which forms the core of PLKN 3.0, was developed to instil patriotism, strengthen identity and nurture tolerance and solidarity among our trainees,” he said.

In response to a supplementary question from Kalam Salan (PN-Sabak Bernam) on the programme’s continuity, Adly said trainees will be monitored until they enter the workforce to ensure long-term impact on character development and the spread of national values in society.

“It will no longer end with the completion of PLKN. We believe they should continue to be monitored until they enter the workforce,” he said, adding that involvement in uniformed bodies such as the Territorial Army is part of ongoing efforts to instil patriotism.

-- BERNAMA