Rokiah Mahmud & Izah Azahari
“On the advice and cooperation of the Ministry of Health (MoH), students from Brunei Darussalam heading to the UK will be temporarily delayed until January 31, 2021, subject to efforts in risk assessment methods from the MoH,” said Acting Minister of Education Datin Seri Paduka Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh at a press conference yesterday.
She added, “The temporary delay is, therefore, inclusive of the permission for students initially scheduled for return to the UK using the Royal Brunei flight BI 003 on January 2, 2021.”
She also said, “Based on the information given by the Students’ Unit of the Brunei Darussalam High Commission in the UK, the students’ mode of learning will still be conducted online.
“Online learning will still be maintained, as one of the methods for learning in the UK , even though face-to-face teaching and learning will be conducted starting next semester (second semester).
“The Ministry of Education (MoE) will work closely with the MoH to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the UK.”
Datin Seri Paduka Dr Hajah Romaizah advised anyone requiring further information to contact the Scholarship Section on the fifth floor of Block C at the MoE building in Berakas, or at 2380019, during office hours.
Several countries are imposing restrictions on travel from the United Kingdom (UK), in response to a new strain of COVID-19 found in London and parts of southeast England.
On December 23, Singapore confirmed an imported case involving the new strain of COVID-19.
Responding to media questions yesterday regarding travel restrictions to the UK, Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar said, “Brunei has yet to ban flights to or from the UK. “We are still allowing them, but we will need to follow the quarantine procedures that have been stated.”
In Brunei, the current travel restrictions for entering and leaving the country remain in force, as part of the preventive measures against COVID-19.
All non-essential travels into Brunei have been temporarily halted. Essential travellers who have had their application for entry approved by the Department of Immigration and National Registration are required to show proof of a negative RT-PCR COVID-19 test, taken no more than 72 hours before departure.
Travellers into the country must complete up to 14 days of mandatory self-isolation on arrival, and will only be released pending a negative COVID-19 test result in Brunei.