HEIs ready with pandemic protocols for new session

Salalah: The higher education institutions (HEIs) are giving top priority to pandemic protocols even as they are all set to start with some days of delay due to COVID concerns. The colleges and universities are ready with precautions in terms of health hygiene and social distancing, as most of them have their systems in place. The newly established University of Technology and Applied Sciences has issued guidelines to the staff members of the Colleges of Technology stating that there should not be more than 30 per cent staff keeping in mind the decisions of the Supreme Committee on COVID-19. The staff members in both the setups of the Colleges of Technology and Applied Sciences have resumed duties after the summer break and getting ready for the new semester. “All employees without exception must start work at the beginning of the academic year 2020/2021 to sign a return-to-work form after the annual leave on Sunday (August 30, 2020). The employees of academic centres and departments will be welcomed at their workplaces in batches and at different timings to ensure precautionary measures in coordination with the Risk, Health and Safety Committee,” said the University of Technology and Applied Sciences circular in its communication to the Colleges of Technology. It added that the implementation of reducing the number of employees by no more than 30 per cent of the total number “will begin from Monday (August, 31, 2020). Employees suffering from chronic diseases and those who are pregnant are exempted from attending office, as they have been allowed to carry out work remotely after furnishing official medical reports. The Applied Science colleges are also adopting similar norms, as most of the academic staff have resumed work after the summer break. The academic session for the current CAS set up is starting from September 13. “It is compulsory for all the staff members, students, and visitors to wear face mask, while at most of the major entrances there is a facility for temperature scanning,” said a staff member of Salalah College of Applied Sciences. A faculty member in Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) confirmed the readiness of the university for the upcoming session and stated that all the precautionary measures were in place as per the directives of the Supreme Committee on COVID-19.