KUALA LUMPUR: The Higher Education Ministry (MoHE) had no other option but to postpone the physical registration of new and returning students at their respective campuses to prevent mass movement amidst the rise in positive Covid-19 cases in the country.
Higher Education director-general Prof Datuk Seri Dr Mohamed Mustafa Ishak said the steady increase of new cases in the past few days had forced the ministry to postpone the physical registration at the very last minute.
"We have universities nationwide, with Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in every state.
"We have 67,406 new students for this intake (October), hence there will be a mass movement of students from Peninsula to Sabah and Sarawak, and vice versa," he said during Buletin Bernama programme on Bernama TV today.
He said other than the mass movement of students, parents and family members would also come to send the students and subsequently will stop at rest and service areas (R&R), hotels and universities.
Mustafa said the decision was made by the ministry only after its engagement with all universities and the Health Ministry, who opined that such a decision was inevitable due to the current Covid-19 situation in the country.
On Friday, the Higher Education Ministry (MoHE) had called for all institutes of higher learning to postpone physical or face-to-face registration of new and returning students at their campus for the October intake.
The ministry said all student registration exercises could be undertaken online, along with student registration matters, teaching, and learning.
The decision, however, had led to students being stranded at their universities.
Answering the question of why schools and kindergartens were allowed to operate as usual, Mustafa said this as their movement was on a small scale.
"We have to remember that school students move on a small scale within their area, while universities are scattered nationwide, hence the concern."
Citing the Northumbria University and Newcastle University in the United Kingdom as an example, he said the mass movement of students saw numbers of its students test positive since their return to the universities.
"We want to prevent this from happening," he said.
Meanwhile, Mustafa said students who have arrived at their universities are allowed to enter their residential colleges.
As for those who have rented accommodation outside campus, he said they should discuss the matter with their respective landlords.
"I believe those who have rented accommodation should have no problem moving in."
As for students who have purchased their airline, train, or bus tickets, Mustafa said the students can re-schedule their trips.
"The ministry has discussed the matter with the airline companies, and they agreed to allow students to re-schedule and some even agreed until next year.
"The same goes for bus companies and KTM, where the students should contact them to reschedule."
He said the ministry was trying its best to assist affected students.
"Affected students should also contact their respective universities for assistance."
During the programme, Mustafa said students who have yet to leave for their universities and facing problems with online learning, especially those from rural areas, were allowed to use the facilities at higher learning institutions near their homes.
"Other than that, we also have 871 rural internet centres under the purview of the Communications and Multimedia Ministry and the Rural Development Ministry that could be used by the students, who have yet to come to their campuses, for their online learning which will begin next week," he said.
On Saturday, Higher Education Minister Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad in a statement had apologised for any inconvenience caused and called on higher education institutions nationwide to better manage matters related to student enrolment.
She said the ministry was aware of complaints made by students and their family members following the decision to postpone the return and registration of current and new students.