NUS calls for: Students and staff safety and well-being must be the government’s top priority

Responding to today’s UCU news release. NUS National President, Zamzam Ibrahim, and Vice President  Juliana Mohamad-Noor, said: ‘Students and staff safety and well-being must be the top priority for the government when determining when students should return to face-to-face teaching in colleges and universities.

‘Our recent Coronavirus and Students Survey shows four in five students rank their health as the number one priority during the COVID-19 outbreak, therefore no student should be forced to go back to face-to-face teaching before the government can guarantee the health and safety of students and staff.’

They noted that: ‘Many students are missing out on a crucial education due to a lack of learning resources, caring responsibilities, and they are struggling to pay their bills.

‘This is why we need the government to provide a Student Safety Net which ensures all students, at all levels of education, have access to a national hardship fund, plus the option to retake this year of their qualifications, at no additional cost, while receiving full maintenance support. For fee-paying students who do not wish to take this up, the government must commit to writing off this year of debt or reimbursing this year of their fees.’

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Image credit: Freepik