Admission to IPTAs in Kedah, Sarawak may be postponed - Noraini

The admission of new and existing students to public institutions of higher learning (IPTAs) in Kedah and Sarawak in October, may be postponed if the COVID-19 cases in both states continue to rise.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad said that the postponement would only be implemented after obtaining advice from the Ministry of Health (MOH), the National Security Council (MKN) and the state governments involved.

“Students will start enrolling (registering) in October, so it will depend on the COVID-19 situation then. The standard operating procedures (SOPs) have also been emphasised by the ministry to be complied with by each university.

“However, for areas such as in Kedah, it depends on the current situation of the particular place. I was informed that in the last few weeks, Sarawak has recorded high numbers of COVID-19 cases,” she told reporters here today.

She said this when asked about the admission of students to institutions of higher learning following the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in both states.

In the meantime, Noraini said that her ministry was satisfied with preparations undertaken by the IPTAs for students’ admission in October.

“Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah), we explained the SOPs to the universities and the MOH also visited the locations to review the situation,” she said.

Earlier, Noraini met locals during the Ziarah Kasih programme in Kampung Changkat Sulaiman here and she was also joined by Barisan Nasional candidate for the Slim state by-election Mohd Zaidi Aziz.