Dining in allowed at canteens, dining halls of institutes of higher learning

Dining in at institutes of higher learning is allowed, provided safe management measures are in place at canteens and dining halls on campus.

However, how this policy is implemented differs across the universities here, students told The Straits Times.

Unlike eateries and hawker centres that can offer only takeaway or delivery from now until June 13, canteens and dining halls can continue to serve students and staff.

This is because students and staff are on campuses for a longer period of time, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said on its website.

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) said that students and employees can eat in the university's canteens and foodcourts, but they must respect the rule on a maximum group size of two.

They are also required to sit 1m apart from one another, and intermingling across different tables is not allowed, the university said in an e-mail last Saturday.

"Individuals should avoid any social interactions while eating, mask up when not consuming food and beverage, and leave the dining venue immediately after finishing their meals and not linger," it added.

The Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) allow students to dine in as well, with some differences to the rules.

Checks by The Straits Times show that SIM's foodcourt, Foodfest, allows dine-in customers, while NUS allows dining in at hostel dining halls, but not canteens.

Meanwhile, NTU allows diners in both its canteens and foodcourts, but not fast-food outlets and restaurants on campus.

Seating arrangements also differ across universities, with NUS students told that they should sit individually while having their meals in dining halls at hostels.

Students such as Ms Yeo Think-E, 19, are adjusting to the new rules, but have welcomed the move to allow dining in.

The first-year NTU student said the dine-in policy is necessary as the size of the campus means student accommodation is often located some distance away from where classes take place.

"It takes me 20 minutes to walk between my hostel, Pioneer Hall and my lab. A lot of time is lost in between if I can only eat in my room," she said.

Mr Fung Ting Wei, 23, finds it too time-consuming to go home for his meals between classes at SIM.

"If we can't eat on campus, it will be hard to find a place to eat since we don't know whether we can eat in our lecture halls," he said.

Other students like Ms Yeoh Joe Ning will be taking precautions.

Even though the 21-year-old is allowed to have her meals in the King Edward VII Hall at NUS where she stays, she said: "I will probably still bring food back to my room. The residents of my hall live in different parts of Singapore and you don't know if people have been to places visited by those who have Covid-19."

Dining halls and canteens in institutes of higher learning are not the only places where people can eat in public during this period.

The consumption of food and drinks in public places, including parks, is not prohibited.

However, this should be in instances when it would be inconvenient to return home or to the workplace to eat, said the Ministry of Health.

"In such instances, members of the public should avoid crowded spaces and minimise social interactions, including maintaining safe distancing at all times," said the ministry.