Students’ Awareness and Intention to Participate in a Gap Year Programme
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37134/mrj.vol7.11.2018Keywords:
gap year, awareness, intention, public university, MalaysiaAbstract
This study aims to understand students' awareness and intention to participate in a Gap Year programme at a public university in Malaysia. A survey questionnaire was distributed from a sample of 900 students representing all the nine faculties at the university. The results showed that more than half of the students were not aware of the programme. For those who were aware of the programme, the source of information was from friends, their seniors, university briefing and website. The result for the intention to participate showed that slightly more than half of the students did not have the intention to participate in the programme. The reasons given were the programme could defer their graduation, and some thought that it was unnecessary. The findings of the study are expected to add to the existing literatures regarding the Gap Year and provide empirical evidence about the Gap Year programme in Malaysia context. Besides, the findings are expected to provide useful insights for the university, and the Ministry of Education about the newly launched Gap Year programme. Thus, more effective strategies can be developed, and the ministry's aspiration to produce holistic, balanced and entrepreneurial graduates can be realized.
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