Over 50,000 students still on campus

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 50,889 or 7.9 per cent of the 646,094 students of public universities, polytechnics and community colleges remain on campus, as of last Monday (November 16), although the registration and admission process of students to the learning institutions concerned has been postponed.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Dr Mansor Othman said for students of private institutions of higher learning (IPTS), there were a total of 113,297 students still at their respective campuses.

“Even though the face-toface registration and admission process for new and old students to the campus, which was planned for implementation last October, has been postponed, the ministry gives special consideration for students who have to remain on campus.

“The students include those who need technical facilities, such as laboratory facilities on campus, those who need a conducive environment or have internet access problems to continue the process of teaching and learning online,” he said.

He said this in response to a question from Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun (Bersatu-Beaufort) who wanted to know the actual number of IPTA and IPTS students still on campus after the announcement of the postponement of their registration during the Movement Control Order (MCO).

To a supplementary question from Azizah on the ministry’s efforts to ensure that students at home do not lag behind in the learning and teaching process, Mansor said the government had ascertained that 871 Internet centres under the supervision of the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia were used for the purpose.

Apart from that, the government also provided Internet access data plan and electronic devices to public university students from B40 families, as well as cash assistance of RM50 to all new students for the 2020/2021 session.