PETALING JAYA: Students’ safety is a priority as campuses reopen next month and stakeholders are not letting their guard down.

       National Association of Private Educational Institutions deputy secretary-general Dr Teh Choon Jin said strict safety protocols and the standard operating procedure imposed by authorities will be adhered to in ensuring students’ safety was not compromised.

       “This includes frequent sanitisation of premises and facilities, maintaining physical distance both inside and outside of classrooms, and wearing of masks at all times.

       “Private varsities will impose strict SOP requirements to ensure campuses are safe and there will be constant communication with students to follow Covid-19 prevention measures.

       “We will also provide students the option to choose either to attend classes face-to-face or to do online learning,” he added.

       All higher education institution students will be allowed to return to their campuses in phases from March 1.

       This includes students and staffers who are not fully vaccinated, although they will have to undergo RT-PCR tests, and the result must be negative, three days prior to entering the campus.

       They would also be required to take weekly Covid-19 tests using rapid test kits, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said on Wednesday.

       As for existing and new international students, only those who had been fully vaccinated would be permitted entry into Malaysia.

       They would, however, be subjected to a seven-day quarantine, while those who had received their booster shots will undergo five days of quarantine.

       Universiti Putra Malaysia deputy vice-chancellor (academic and international) Prof Dr M. Iqbal Saripan said the varsity will continue to practise a hybrid teaching and learning model.

       “We will comply with the latest rules for our upcoming semester which starts on March 21, and this will cover students and staffers who have or have not completed their vaccination.

       “We will also welcome back our international students who have fulfilled the requirements set by the National Security Council,” he added.

       Universiti Malaya second year microbiology student Muhamad Danial Nashri Zaidi said while he will continue to take precautions against Covid-19, he is looking forward to attending physical classes.

       The 19-year-old said he’s not too worried since most of his classmates and lecturers are vaccinated and wear masks at all times.

       “I will be spending my semester break on campus to get practical experience because my batch has missed a lot of practical lab sessions due to the pandemic,” he added.

       Another student who only wanted to be known as John said he will continue studying fully online.

       This was due to the rapid rise in Covid-19 cases, along with the fact that most of his friends have also chosen to go fully online.

       Keerti, a first-year student from a private university, said the surge in Covid-19 cases is worrying and that she will opt to study online come March 1.

       In a statement yesterday, the Higher Education Ministry said students are allowed back to campus because it gives them the chance to get to know and adapt to learning and life on campus.

       The decision was also made to give the higher education institutions the flexibility to determine the appropriate learning modes for students, it said.

       Campuses had reopened in stages last October but only involving fully vaccinated students, and academic and non-academic staff, with lessons conducted via a hybrid mode.