HIGHER Education Minister Noraini Ahmad today asked students who have arrived at campuses to remain there until further notice and advised others to postpone their travel plans. 

“To students who have arrived, can continue to stay at the campus and look forward to further instructions by the university. 

“To the students who are still in their homes or hometowns, I plead with you to delay your return to the university for a while,” Noraini said in a statement today after a backlash on social media.

“I hope the institutions of higher learning will be reasonable and considerate in managing all matters arising from the delay,” she said on her Facebook page.

Noraini said the ministry only suggested the suspension of registration following the spike in Covid-19 cases in the country.

The responsibility lies with the institutions of higher learning in line with the government’s policy of granting autonomy to the management. 

“I take note of the grouses and complaints from the students as well as their families due to the IPTs’ decision to postpone physical registrations,” she said.

Yesterday, the ministry made a last-minute change to move classes and registration online following a surge in Covid-19 cases in the country.

Thousands of students were caught off-guard as they were on the way to their campuses to begin a new semester.

Former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman’s Muda party has since mobilised to gather and offer assistance to affected students.

They raised RM51,145 via crowdfunding in three hours to help students stranded across the country. – October 3, 2020.