and 35.71% as good (F (3,150) = 3.26, p = 0.023). However, practice scores were lower, with 66.23% in the

adequate category, 21.43% as poor, and only 12.34% as good (F (3,150) = 10.00, p < 0.00001). Pearson’s

correlation revealed a strong positive relationship between knowledge and awareness (r = 0.76, p < 0.001), a

moderate positive correlation between knowledge and practice (r = 0.42, p < 0.01), and a weak, non-significant

correlation between awareness and practice (r = 0.21, p > 0.05). These findings indicate that while theoretical

understanding and awareness of molecular biology are relatively strong, practical engagement remains limited.

Bridging this gap requires greater emphasis on hands-on learning and integration of laboratory-based modules

within the curriculum. The outcomes of this study provide valuable insights for curriculum enhancement, aiming

to align theoretical knowledge, awareness, and practical competency in molecular biology education.

background, as molecular techniques and knowledge are vital for developing countries and can be applied in

many sectors, including medical diagnostics, biotechnology, agriculture, the food industry, forensic science, and

species identification.

Molecular biology has widespread applications across various sectors, contributing to advancements in

healthcare, biotechnology, agriculture, environmental science, forensics, and pharmaceuticals. In healthcare and

medicine, molecular techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), quantitative PCR (qPCR), and

nextgeneration sequencing (NGS) play a crucial role in disease diagnostics, while gene therapy and vaccine

development have revolutionized therapeutics (Mullis & Faloona, 1987; Shendure et al., 2017). In biotechnology,

genetic engineering has enabled the development of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) for agricultural

and food science applications, improving crop yield and enhancing animal breeding programs (Abdul-Aziz et

practical skills. To support this priority, producing students with a background in molecular biology is essential

for realising the government’s vision outlined in the National Biotechnology Policy 2.0 (NBP 2.0) (DBN 2.0),

which emphasises key areas such as healthcare and well-being, the circular economy, biotechnology-driven

industrialisation, and food security through agricultural biotechnology (Bioeconomy Corporation, 2022).

Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) originated in 1956 as the Dewan Latihan RIDA (RIDA Training Centre)

with the objective of improving the socio-economic status of rural Malays in Malaysia. Over the years, it evolved

into a comprehensive higher education institution and was officially named UiTM in 1999. The university now

operates one main campus in Shah Alam and 34 branch campuses, offering more than 500 programmes across

diverse disciplines, including science and technology. As of early 2024, UiTM had an enrolment of

in molecular biology-related fields, such as Biomolecular Science, Applied Microbiology, and Applied Science.

competence in molecular biology (Ahmad et al., 2021).

Research conducted by the Malaysian Science and Technology Information Centre (MASTIC) has shown that

public awareness of science, technology and innovation in Malaysia has been improving. However, despite wider

recognition of biotechnology techniques, there remains a significant gap in molecular biology literacy among

the general public. A study by Latifah Amin and colleagues (2011) found that respondents from the Klang Valley

region perceived biotechnology as moderately risky and did not view humans as having the absolute right to

manipulate living organisms. These findings suggest that limited understanding of biotechnology and molecular

biology may hinder the full-scale development and application of new technologies in Malaysia’s research and

development sector.

According to Andrade et al. (2020), knowledge-attitude-practice (KAP) surveys first emerged in the 1950s within

the fields of family planning and population research and have since become widely used tools for investigating

health-related behaviours and practices associated with healthcare seeking. A KAP survey is designed to

comprehensively assess what a target group knows (knowledge), feels (attitude), and does (practice) regarding a

specific topic (Pillay, 2005). Recent methodological work has highlighted the value of KAP instruments for

assessing educational and scientific literacy across different disciplines (Witriana et al., 2025; Zarei et al., 2024).

Conducting a KAP study on molecular biology among Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) students is therefore

aspects, and assesses correlations among KAP domains. The research employs a descriptive cross-sectional

design to investigate the KAP of molecular biology among UiTM students. Data were collected through an online

Google Form questionnaire from October 2024 to February 2025, designed in English to align with UiTM’s

language of instruction. Statistical analysis, including the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and

various inferential tests, was applied to assess KAP levels and identify factors influencing molecular biology

The study adopted a descriptive cross‐sectional design to assess the knowledge, awareness, and practice (KAP)

of molecular biology among undergraduate students in science‐based programmes at Universiti Teknologi

MARA (UiTM) campuses across Peninsular Malaysia, including Shah Alam, Kuala Pilah (Negeri Sembilan),

The study was conducted across multiple Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) campuses throughout Peninsular

Malaysia using an online questionnaire. The majority of respondents were based at the Shah Alam campus in

Selangor, a region widely recognised as a “learning region” due to its high concentration of higher education

institutions and strategic investment in academic infrastructure (Kobylinski & Prasad, 2018; Abdullah et al.,

2022). Many students and parents choose Selangor for academic pursuits because of its developed educational

ecosystem and robust public transportation systems. Thus, it is unsurprising that UiTM Shah Alam accounted

for the largest proportion of respondents in this study.

The study population comprised students of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) from multiple campuses across

Peninsular Malaysia, representing programmes such as Biomolecular Science, Applied Microbiology, Diploma

As a cross-sectional study, both exposure and outcomes were measured simultaneously (Setia, 2016).

Participants were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria were full-time UiTM

undergraduate students pursuing science-based programmes, particularly those related to molecular biology. The

exclusion criteria were full-time UiTM undergraduate students enrolled in non-science programmes and

postgraduate students.

This design was chosen for its efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and ability to determine associations between KAP

levels related to molecular biology among UiTM students in Peninsular Malaysia.

A sample is a subset of individuals selected from a population that represents the characteristics of that

population. The sample in this study comprised 154 UiTM students. The sample size was determined based on

In this study, respondents were recruited from UiTM campuses across Peninsular Malaysia using online

distribution channels. Although convenience sampling may limit generalizability, clear inclusion and exclusion

criteria were established to ensure data relevance and consistency (Nikolopoulou, 2022; David, 2017).

Inclusion Criteria: Full-time UiTM undergraduate students pursuing science-related programmes, particularly

those involving molecular biology.

Exclusion Criteria: Full-time UiTM undergraduate students from non-science programmes and postgraduate

students.

Data collection was conducted between October 2024 and February 2025 using an online Google Form

questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed to students who volunteered to participate and met the inclusion

criteria. It was prepared in English to align with UiTM’s medium of instruction.

respondents are enrolling in the diploma in microbiology. The Table 3 below shows the distributions of

Out of 154 respondents, the majority were female (72.73%, n = 112), while male respondents accounted for

27.27% (n = 42) (Table 4). This gender distribution reflects the higher male enrolment trend in certain

sciencerelated programmes within the sampled campuses. This disparity is primarily because the student’s intake

at UiTM has a predominantly female student population. Consequently, the sample for this study naturally

reflected this demographic distribution, resulting in a much lower number of male participants. Gender might

play a part in the vital differences in students’ academic performance. The majority of research indicates that

women outperform their male counterparts (Farooq, Chandhry, & Shafiq, 2011). Another reason is that men have

been quite at ease in a patriarchal culture, whereas women have been compelled to overachieve in order to

Table 4. Distribution of respondents by gender and age (n = 154).

intake of students who continued their studies directly after secondary school. This trend may be attributed to

the fact that diploma programmes are generally shorter in duration and provide a faster pathway to employment

In terms of faculty affiliation, the majority came from the Faculty of Applied Sciences (76.62%, n = 118), with

smaller groups from the Faculty of Health Sciences (9.09%, n = 14) and other faculties such as Engineering,

Education, and Computer Science (14.29%, n = 22).

Semester distribution showed the largest group in Semester 5 (47.01%, n = 57), followed by Semester 6 (16.88%,

n = 26) and Semester 1 (22.07%, n = 34). This is because the enrolment of the students in UiTM is increasing in

2023 reflecting higher student’s numbers in semester 5 UiTM (UiTM, 2024). The remaining respondents were

spread across other semesters, with very few in the final semesters (1.30%, n = 2). The average semester of the

respondents was 4.22 ± 2.04, indicating that the sample comprised a mix of early-, mid-, and late-stage students,

Table 6 summarises the distribution of respondents across the four categories—Excellent, Good, Adequate, and

Poor—for Knowledge, Awareness, and Practice. Figure 1 provides a visual comparison of these proportions,

while Figure 2 presents the mean scores (±SD) for each domain.

Table 6. Overall KAP distribution and mean scores

Out of 154 respondents, 52.60% achieved excellent knowledge, 38.31% had good knowledge, 7.14% were

adequate, and 1.95% were poor. The overall mean knowledge score was 28.85 ± 7.39 (range: 0–40). By campus

grouping, Group B (UiTM Kuala Pilah) recorded the highest mean score (32.21 ± 6.60; 100.0% good/excellent),

followed by Group C (28.68 ± 5.52; 96.0% good/excellent), Group A (28.01 ± 8.70; 85.7% good/excellent), and

Group D (25.84 ± 6.35; 88.0% good/excellent) (Table 7; Figure 3).

One-way ANOVA confirmed a statistically significant difference in knowledge scores among groups (F (3,150)

= 3.92, p = 0.00995). Post-hoc Tukey’s HSD revealed that Group B scored significantly higher than both Group