Kuala lumpur: Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) will gradually deploy four full-time wardens comprising former military personnel to every MARA Junior Science College (MRSM) to strengthen student discipline and character development. Its chairman, Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, announced that this initiative will commence at 10 MRSMs this year, with plans to extend it to all 58 colleges nationwide by January next year.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, each MRSM will have two male and two female wardens. The selection and screening process for the male wardens has concluded, while the process for female wardens is expected to wrap up this week. The initiative stems from the belief that former military personnel possess a high level of discipline, which can alleviate the burden on teachers who cannot serve as full-time wardens.

Asyraf Wajdi stated that the selection of former military personnel was conducted in collaboration with the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) and relevant agencies to ensure only candidates with good service records were chosen. He emphasized that MARA is committed to addressing student discipline, morality, and character issues, aiming to produce graduates who are not only highly skilled and competent but also uphold strong values.

In another development, he highlighted the continued success of MARA's education system, particularly in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), with a graduate employability rate of 99.1 per cent. MARA TVET graduates not only find employment but also receive premium starting salaries through strategic collaborations with various industries. Recently, Samsung recruited 700 students with a starting salary of RM3,500, showcasing the industry's interest in MARA's skilled and competent talent.

At the same event, Asyraf Wajdi mentioned that MARA allocated RM145,000 for special excellence programmes at five MRSMs recognized as the country's top-performing schools in last year's Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.