A TOTAL of 50,889, or 7.9%, 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 had been postponed.

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

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

“They include those who need technical facilities, such as laboratory facilities, 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 Azizah Mohd Dun (Bersatu-Beaufort) who wanted to know how many IPTA and IPTS students were still on campus after the announcement of the postponement 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, Mansor said there were 871 Internet centres under the supervision of the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia for that purpose.

The government also provided Internet access data plans 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. – Bernama, November 19, 2020.