MOE reminds tour operators not to disrupt university students on campus

The autonomous universities — the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) — are currently working with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to relay to tour operators measures that are being implemented in schools to manage the flow of tourists.

All tour operators are therefore reminded to respect universities as places of teaching and learning, and to ensure that they do not disrupt the learning and welfare of students, as well as campus activities on the whole, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Education (MOE), Shawn Huang.

He was responding to questions posed in Parliament on Oct. 15, by Member of Parliament Saktiandi Supaat about how MOE is addressing the issue of tourists and overcrowding at the universities and whether the measures the universities have taken are adequate.

What are the measures that the universities have taken so far?

According to Huang, the universities have taken measures such as prioritising campus transport and food court access for students and staff during peak hours, and requiring advanced registration prior to allowing tour groups on campus.

NUS and NTU also have different campus contexts and "very different" visitor profiles.

The universities are therefore best placed to determine the right visitor management policies based on their own needs and on their own grounds, he added.

The minister noted that NTU has enforced designated paths and schedules for tourists to prioritise the needs and well-being of students and staff.

Earlier on Feb. 1, 2024, NTU also implemented a requirement for tour groups to register and pay an entry fee.

As for NUS, it restricted access to food courts and bus shuttle services from Sep. 30 to Oct. 7, during the same period as China's "Golden Week" from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7.

Tour buses entering NUS will also need to register by Jan. 2025.

What is MOE doing to address the matter?

In addition, MOE regularly meets with the universities through various platforms, including at the ministerial level, and expects the universities, as publicly funded institutions, to provide a conducive learning environment for students, Huang added.

While universities are given the space and autonomy to manage the day-to-day logistics and welfare of the students, in this case, MOE will intervene as necessary, he said.

Top photo via Shin Min Daily News