Egypt's Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar emphasised the need, on Sunday, for universities and education institutes to continue applying precautionary measures against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). These measures will be kept in place at all such educational facilities during the second semester of the 2020-2021 academic year. The Ministry has been monitoring the efforts made by universities and institutes nationwide to implement preventive measures at the start of the second semester. Abdel Ghaffar directed for social distancing measures to be applied, in addition to wearing face masks whilst on the campus and while using transportation. He said that there is also the need for the temperature of all faculty members and students to be measured before entering the campus. Students will also only be allowed to enter the campus according to their lecture schedules. The universities are committed to implementing a hybrid education system that combines face-to-face classes and online classes. They are also committed to reducing the number of students in classrooms and practical training laboratories, to ensure social distancing takes place Meanwhile, students at theoretical colleges should attend face-to-face classes on two days per week, whilst students at practical colleges must attend actual classes for three or four days per week. Each university should also allocate isolation rooms at its dorm for anyone suspected of having COVID-19. Students must consult a doctor should they suspect they have any symptoms of COVID-19 infection, with those students then going into isolation, even if it was seasonal influenza. Both students and university employees are required to avoid social and family gatherings, and to adhere to social distancing.
