SHAH ALAM: Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) today expressed its condolences to the two families of two students at its two campuses who died recently.
They were identified as Nurul Natasya Ezreen Azemi, 22, and Muhammad Adham Hazim Mohd Rizaini, 21, from its Kedah and Pahang campuses respectively.
Nurul Natasya was pursuing her Diploma in Office Management and Technology while Muhammad Adham Hazim was a Diploma in Civil Engineering student.
UiTM Corporate Communication, Media and Protocol Department said the university management had been deeply concerned by the two deaths and prayed that the two families would be given the strength and patience to weather through these trying times.
"May Allah bless their souls," it said in a statement today.
The university also said it had always been involved in ensuring its students' welfare and learning facilities would be met under the Open Distance Learning.
"Students who require assistance in the form of internet connection and devices are always welcomed to stay at the hostels or rented houses near their respective campuses.
"For the assessment and evaluation aspects, UiTM, through our Academic Affairs Department as well as lecturers have made early notification over the important dates of their assignments at the beginning of the semester under the study plan for each of the courses.
"Under our 'prihatin' initiative, the same department has also extended the period for the assessment and evaluation activities for the final evaluation week until next month," it said.
The statement added that such initiative was carried out under the Academic Circular No 11/2021 which was issued and communicated to students and lecturers on June 18 this year.
"In addition, UiTM's Students Affairs Division and our Counselling Unit care and are always prepared to provide counselling services and other form of assistance required among students while they are undergoing the learning process through the ODL method throughout the period of this pandemic," read the statement.
It also said that students were encouraged to discuss with their respective lecturers, academic advisors or heads of programmes in finding ways to resolve any issues in relation to the assessment and evaluation schedule.
Harian Metro reported that a third semester student at the UiTM's Merbok campus near Sungai Petani in Kedah died after she was found unconscious at her rented house.
The 22-year-old student was reported to have lost consciousness at about 4am at the house near Merbok a few days ago. She was rushed to the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sungai Petani for treatment.
It was reported that the student woke up at about 3am and managed to wake her housemates, complaining of a headache.
She underwent treatment, but was reported to have died at 2.50pm on Friday.
Kuala Muda district police chief Superintendent Anuar Abd Rahman confirmed the victim was admitted to the hospital on Thursday and died a day later.
On Saturday, social media was abuzz with allegations that a student from the said university had died due to stress following the need to undergo online learning, workload to complete assignments and prepping for final examinations.