Universities to reopen fully in October 2020

By Aqilah Alya

KUALA LUMPUR, 8 July 2020: All universities will be reopened fully in October 2020, the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) announced today.

The announcement was made following a Cabinet decision after reconsidering that the COVID-19 situation in the country is getting better day by day.

The Minister of Higher Education, Dato’ Dr. Noraini Ahmad said that “MOHE considers almost three months remaining for the new semester to start in October and it is sufficient for all parties to prepare”.

She said that despite the returning of students to their campuses starting in July 2020, the Cabinet has agreed on allowing four more categories of students to return to the campuses in stages. The four additional categories are:

  1. 30% of private higher education institutions can start returning from July, in line with the request of the Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities.
  2. The students of the first, second, third and fourth year of public higher educational institutions who need clinical, practical, workshop, labs, studios or special equipment; those who will be sitting for professional examinations.
  3. The year one, two, three and four of public higher education institutions who have no Internet access or conducive environment, such as narrow learning space or uncomfortable conditions to implement teaching and learning activities online.
  4. International students from both public universities and private higher educational institutions including new students.

The institutions of higher learning have been given the flexibility to decide the most suitable modes, including online learning depending on their respective programme.

All sports and recreational activities must comply with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the Ministry of Health, National Security Council (NSC) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Student’s activities with the requirement of not exceeding 250 people, depending on the space size and social distancing, are also allowed.

Students who are currently in the campus have to practise social distancing and observe good hygiene all the time.***

Source: Astro Awani and The Star

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