While MINDEF continues to look at ways to improve National Service, some people are suggesting that compulsory fitness programs be introduced for students before they enlist.
This was one of the suggestions raised at a public forum on Saturday.
Some of the other things being considered include making reservist more flexible to fit in better with work.
The idea of compulsory fitness programs for male students, particularly in Poly come as the passing rates of poly students in fitness exams is much lower than it is for students in ITE and JC.
Only about 30% of Poly students pass the fitness test while 50% do so in ITE and about 70% pass from JC.
Given this disparity, it was suggested that more focus be put on fitness programs in Poly.
At the moment, all these are still just suggestions that MINDEF may consider for strengthening national service.
One point to note however is that BMT is already supposed to be a way to bring the fitness of recruits up to standard. Males in Singapore already have to spend 2 years of their youth to serve, should this time really be extended into compulsory fitness programs for Poly students too?