MORAL APPRECIATION AMONG KAA STUDENTS IN KOTA KINABALU, SABAH: A DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS

The appreciation of moral values among secondary school students in Malaysia is often associated with issues of discipline, social media influence, and a lack of guidance on core values. Does this also apply to students in Islamic Religious Stream Classes (KAA), who are already exposed to Islamic syaria? The lack of previous studies serves as a basis for conducting this research. A quantitative approach was employed in this study. Descriptive analysis was used to report the demographic characteristics and the level of moral appreciation among students. Data were collected through questionnaires distributed to 316 students from five schools offering KAA in the Kota Kinabalu area, Sabah. The questionnaire used was the Moral Appreciation Scale, consisting of 41 items with a 5-point Likert scale. The findings revealed that KAA students generally demonstrated a high level of moral appreciation, emphasizing values such as belief in the Pillars of Faith and the application of the Pillars of Islam. This study is expected to provide useful guidance for students and schools in strengthening moral education programs in the future.