Government considers allowing IPT students to return home under strict SOP - Ismail Sabri

The government is considering to allow students of higher learning institutions (IPT) who are still on campus to return to their hometowns.

However, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the move must be done with strict compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) including health screening.

He said the government's consideration was made after the Ministry of Health (MOH) had found that there were no COVID-19 clusters on campus and that students had not shown any symptoms of infection until now.

"We understand that parents and students are depressed because they have been on campus for so long. Many have begged to return home.

“The Cabinet meeting previously made the decision that they continue to stay on campus until further advice by the MOH.

"Today we have the views of the MoH. Those who have been on campus for over 28 days ... if they had been quarantined and have no symptoms then they have no COVID-19 infection.

"So, we discussed earlier today that there is a possibility that we can let them go home but we need a strict SOP because we don't want them to go home in large numbers.

"We want them to return to the kampungs under strict SOP," he said at a press conference here on Tuesday.

Accordingly, Ismail Sabri added, the MoH and the Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) will deliberate on the matter to ensure the process of sending the students home is smooth.

"The KPT and MoH will work together on how best to bring these students home to ensure that parents are no longer worried about their children.

"Further information on the SOP will be looked into carefully if they are allowed to return home," he added.