LETTER: The fifth phase enforcement of the Conditional Movement Control Order until June 9 has taken its toll on all layers of society, creating multilevel challenges felt by all. Students are no exception.
On May 27, the Higher Education Ministry approved five categories of students that can resume work on campus while the rest must continue with online learning until Dec 31. Despite the lenient conditions given to postgraduate students in research mode, will it be worth it?
Strict standard operating procedures need to be adhered to, including daily health declaration after temperature checking. Conducting time-consuming experiments, especially for science stream students, however, may disrupt the research process due to restricted time, human contact and movement.
As for the campus staff involved, equipment and instruments have to be constantly sanitised and cleaned to ensure a safe work environment and minimal exposure to the virus.
Some of the students have limited options, like bonding with scholarships and research grants, that would not allow them to opt for semester deferral as offered by some universities. Therefore, they have no choice but to resume work.
As for undergraduates pursuing their foundation studies, matriculation, bachelor's degree or diploma, most have to continue study via e-learning, which sounds convenient but probably not to a larger group, considering the limited Internet coverage and workload stress due to inadequate guidance.
On top of it all, students in rural areas have poor Internet access and may not have a laptop or smartphone to engage in online classes. There are huge differences in acquiring knowledge in the lecture hall and in front of a device, but what can be done when this outbreak imposes a new lifestyle on all of us?
The main concern is the tuition and accommodation fees that have been paid earlier in the affected semester. Perhaps the fees could be discounted or a fee waiver be given to lessen the burden of the less fortunate students. Many of us rely on our family's income and we feel obliged to find alternatives that can offer relief to our family.
With regard to the Recovery Movement Control Order from June 10 to Aug 31, we urge the government to not lose sight of the financial impact the situation has on students.
N.N.M.Y. CHAN
POSTGRADUATE STUDENT
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times
