MOE on Oct Holiday Travel for College Students and Staff

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Of late, there have been several online discussions among college students on whether they can leave school during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays in October, as many universities pursue a “closed management” policy for Fall 2020. In a recent press conference, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has addressed these concerns, stating that students and teachers can freely enter and exit their campus premises during the two October holidays, just like how they can do so during weekends and outside of class hours. However, Wang Dengfeng, Director of the COVID-19 leading response group at the MOE, encouraged students and teachers to not leave unless absolutely necessary.

Wang made these remarks in response to questions regarding conflicting information that teachers can freely enter and exit schools, but not students. He emphasized that the entry and exit policies for students, faculty, and other working staff should be consistent with the Technical Plan for the Prevention and Control of The Epidemic in the Fall Semester of Colleges and Universities, which was circulated to all tertiary education institutions by the MOE.

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“Some schools may have clearly-defined requirements and policies, as the Fall semester has just started in schools, and epidemic prevention and control work is based on time. For example, students, faculty, and staff in Beijing universities must hold a negative nucleic acid test certificate that is valid within seven days before they return to campus. If you travel outside during the October 1 holiday, while coming back, one may have to go through such a procedure”, Wang said. He stressed that schools need to make reasonable arrangements based on the actual situation and the prevention-control requirements that are in place.

At the same time, Wang also said that a one-size-fits-all approach is not encouraged, but every prevention and control measure must be in place. “The premise is to ensure the normal order of campus education and teaching. In devising the regulations and requirements for epidemic prevention and control, one has to adapt to local conditions. Moreover, we must continue to understand and accept these measures, so that we can not only control the epidemic but also return to normalcy in education and teaching.”

While there are currently no local COVID-19 cases in Beijing, the Ministry of Education isn’t making room for complacency in their COVID-19 response. With the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival being simultaneously celebrated with National Day for the first time in 19 years, they’re keen to avoid a third wave of infections originating from the campuses of Beijing’s prestigious universities.

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Photos: Beijing Communications University, Unsplash 

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