IPT students to return to campus in stages beginning March 1

However, the numbers will range from 70 per cent to 100 per cent, depending on their capacities, he said.

He said the decision was made at the COVID-19 quartet ministerial meeting yesterday, which refined proposals from MOHE on the admission of students to IPTs, namely public universities, polytechnics, community colleges and private IPTs.

"According to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set by MOHE and the Health Ministry (MOH), students and staff with complete and incomplete vaccination status are allowed to be on campus.

"However, those with incomplete vaccination status are required to obtain negative results of RT-PCR tests three days prior to returning to the campus. They also need to take the RTK-Ag test once a week," he said in a statement today.

As for existing and new international students, Hishammuddin said only those who had completed their vaccinations are allowed to enter Malaysia, and they must undergo mandatory quarantine for seven or five days if they have already received their booster dose.

He said IPTs needed to have the required capacity to accommodate students who attend their classes physically with strict adherence to the SOPs for teaching and learning (PdP) sessions, while adding they were also allowed to conduct the sessions in a hybrid manner or online.

Hishammuddin said all sports and recreational activities also needed to comply with the SOPs issued by the MOH.

The public can contact MOHE's COVID-19 operations room at 03-8870 6777/ 6949 / 6623 / 6628, visit the IPT's website or directly contact the coordinating officers at their respective IPTs for further inquiries.