Be safe: Noraini getting her temperature checked after arriving at UMT.
THE Higher Education Ministry is working on the standard operating procedure (SOP) for students to return to campuses, Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad said.
A date, however, has yet to be finalised, the Higher Education Minister said during her recent visit to Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT).
In May, the ministry announced that postgraduate students and another five groups of students are allowed to return to campus in stages between July 1 to Oct 1.
During her visit to UMT, which is part of the ministry’s outreach programme to higher education institutions (HEIs) in the east coast, she said the ministry had spent RM16mil – RM1.8mil of which went to UMT – to send campus bound students home during the movement control order (MCO).
Some of the biggest challenges students faced during the MCO – especially those who live in rural areas – was having good Internet access, the varsity quoted her as saying in a press release.
“Therefore, the digitisation of higher education must be implemented in greater detail, taking into account the difficulties faced by each HEI,” she said, adding that there is a need to upgrade the infrastructure and infostructure of public universities, such as Internet accessibility and coverage, to ensure the teaching and learning (PdP) process runs smoothly.
The ministry is working with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation to get a suitable Internet package for students’ PdP, she said.
Separately, Noraini appointed Tan Sri Datuk Seri Shamsul Azhar Abbas as the varsity’s board of directors chairman, replacing Datuk Dr Ahmad as Tan Sri Halim Mohammad.
The former Petronas president and chief executive officer’s tenure in UMT will last for three years beginning May 21.
Welcoming Shamsul, UMT vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Nor Aieni Mokhtar said the varsity was delighted to have a prominent corporate figure on board to steer the institution to greater heights.
“He is known for his ideas and brilliance.
“We look forward to the reforms and improvements he will bring to the varsity,” she said.
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