New Student Movement Alliance of Malaysia (Nesa) has criticised the Negeri Sembilan Matriculation College (NSMC) administration and the Education Ministry over the rising number of Covid-19 cases at the college.
"Nesa Malaysia strongly condemns the failure of the Education Ministry and the NSMC management in handling the rising positive cases on the campus, which caused more and more students to be infected.
"Prior to the returning of the students, the management should have worked with the Health Ministry to ensure that all measures comply with the standard operating procedures (SOPs), instead of disregarding the students' safety," said Nesa in a statement last night.
It claimed NSMC had not handled the rising number of cases on campus well and exposed many students to risk.
Among its allegations was that the college administration had not carried out swab tests on all its students when they returned to campus for exams.
Nesa also claimed the students were sent straight to their dormitory rooms once they arrived on campus and there was no space for social distancing in the rooms.
The college administration also did not provide face masks or hand sanitisers, it said.
"A student who tested positive for Covid-19 revealed that he and his roommates were sent to a surau with 60 students squeezed in for quarantine after having close contact with an infected person.
"No protective screen was set in between the students due to the limited space of the surau.
"Furthermore, the management refused to disclose the number of cases and any prevention plans and reminded the students not to 'create any troubles' to the management," Nesa said.
It also alleged that ten students who had tested positive for Covid-19 were moved to another unit on campus for quarantine but the unit was too small for the students.
"Some had to sleep in the living room. The facilities were insufficient to provide a suitable learning space for the students.
"Moreover, the management did not even provide them with the contact number of any medical staff for them to contact in case of emergency situations.
"After staying at the unit for a night, the students were hospitalised on Jan 27 at Maeps, Serdang," Nesa said.
'Staff doing their best'
Speaking to Malaysiakini, a student from NSMC, who declined to be identified, corroborated most of Nesa's claims about the college.
However, the student noted that the surau can only fit 40 people.
The student also told Malaysiakini they believe the college staff are doing their best.
Malaysiakini has contacted the college management today but was told by an officer in charge of student affairs that any inquiry regarding the Covid-19 outbreak and management of the issue should be directed to the matriculation division of the Education Ministry.
"The matriculation division is the one in charge. The campus director said any media queries about Covid-19 cases to please contact them," the officer said.
Malaysiakini has also attempted to contact the Education Ministry's matriculation division over this matter.
Meanwhile, Nesa also said students had signed petitions requesting the Education Ministry to call off the return-to-campus policy for physical exams and shift towards online exams instead to reduce the risk of transmission.
However, the Education Ministry rejected the proposal, causing students, including those from red zones, to travel back to their campuses, it said.
"The ignorance of the Education Ministry, as well as its incapability in executing efficient and effective policies, had directly caused the students to contract Covid-19 with possible permanent side effects.
"The Education Ministry should bear the full responsibility for requesting matriculation students to return to the campuses amidst the worsening of the pandemic.
"We urge the Education Ministry and the management of the matriculation colleges for better preventive measures taken that comply with the SOPs and at the same time for them to sincerely apologise to all affected students," Nesa said. - Mkini
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