Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) brought home 19 students who were studying in Thailand. The students arrived gradually in the country on from March 20, 21 and 24. Upon arrival in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), the UMY COVID-10 Mitigation Task Force immediately applied a special protocol to all students who had just arrived.
“Indeed, there are those who have finished their programs, but there are also those who have been asked to return officially by the local campus due to the Corona outbreak itself. We have taken into account the pattern of credit transfers that can be obtained by students to continue with the online learning system,” he said through a short message received by the UMY Public Relations and Protocol Bureau, Tuesday (3/24).
He also explained that UMY had special procedures which were based on protocols that had been determined by the UMY Rector through the UMY COVID-19 Mitigation Task Force. All students returning to Indonesia must coordinate with the Office for International Affairs and Cooperation and return to UMY first. They were picked up with strict protocols by the UMYOffice of Cooperation team which had been checked for their health by the UMY Medical Team, including campus car drivers who are required to wear special clothes, gloves, masks and stocked with hand sanitizers.
“The students underwent medical tests conducted by a team of designated doctors and were then sprayed with disinfectant liquid, as well as initial assistance regarding the next stage, which is quarantine. The UMY students were required to undergo 14 days of strict isolation with facilities provided by UMY (even though the results of the check stated that they were healthy), and were monitored daily, “added Jordan.
The UMY Faculty of Law lecturer also emphasized that during the quarantine period, UMY provided all the needs of the nineteen students. This includes three meals a day and antiseptic needs. This is done so that parents and guardians of the students who have just returned will not be worried about the condition of their children.
“Because UMY has been entrusted by parents to educate and look after its students, UMY will be responsible for all student activities. Moreover, this student exchange is an official program, so UMY with its existing protocol determined that all UMY academics returning from abroad must have their health checked. We never know whether they are exposed to a virus or not, because they could even become asymptomatic carriers of Covid-19 themselves. But because their body’s defence mechanisms are strong, sometimes the virus itself is not detected,” Jordan stated.
Currently, UMY also has students who are studying in Spain, Malaysia, the Philippines, Turkey and Taiwan. In response to this situation, UMY continues to coordinate with the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in each country and also establish communication with each campus where their students are studying. UMY also guarantees that all the needs of its students who are abroad will be fulfilled. (Ak)
