Students who struggle in dormitory after the wave of the COVID-19 outbreak have been told they can return home.

But Education Secretary Richard Lockheed said he did not expect a “mass exodus” after that Updated guidance It is published by the Scottish government.

The directive also states that students can visit parents if there is a “reasonable excuse” such as a family emergency.

But short stays without a person were still considered a “crime”.

The guidelines came out after a torrent of complaints from students who felt trapped in a college or college dorm.

Speaking on the BBC Good morning Scotland “I know many students are struggling at the moment, but I also know that many students accept their desire to go to university,” said Mr. Lochhead.

“It’s tough right now, especially if they’re isolated from themselves, but they are enjoying the opportunity to form new connections, at least meet their teachers, even though a lot of their learning is done online.

“So I don’t anticipate a mass exodus from university campuses in Scotland, but the opportunity is there for those who struggle.”

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Students who decided to return permanently to another home were required to follow the rules of self-isolation and not use public transportation.

The new guidelines are welcomed by NUS Scotland.

Its president, Matt Creally, said: “Today’s guidance provides welcome clarity to students in the halls, who will consider their next steps.

We welcome that students will be able to return home permanently. However, we are disappointed that the government continues to talk about personal tutoring, which may keep students on campus and unnecessarily increase the stakes.

“We continue to call on the Scottish government to strengthen instructional orientation so that distance learning is the default, and a reality for as many students as possible.”

Horror halls

But Scottish Conservative Party leader Douglas Ross said the picture was still “blurry” and criticized the fact that the directive was published late on Sunday.

“On the one hand, students are told that they can go home, and then they are told that they can go home if there are certain circumstances, and I think there are still questions about what those conditions are,” he told BBC Radio Good Morning Scotland.

Ross also said ministers should have anticipated problems given the soaring number of cases in the United States when colleges and universities returned for the new academic year.

He added, “These instructions should have been clear before these young men left the house and certainly before they joined the university and they were, in many cases, locked in halls of terror.”

Willie Rennie, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democratic Party, said the directives provided some clarity for students, but called on ministers to move forward.

Speaking about the program, he said, “We need to do this routine asymptomatic test to make sure people know if they are negative so that they can go home and continue their studies.”

Mr. Rennie also called for discounts on rent and mental health support for students after a series of outbreaks across the country, which he claimed were anticipated.

“This was the largest movement of people since the lockdown began, so it was inevitable that we had this,” he added.

Student health

The body representing Scottish universities said student welfare should be a priority.

Professor Jerry McCormack, Director of Universities in Scotland, said: “With the support of their universities, students need to choose what is appropriate for their physical and mental health.

Unfortunately, the current situation with this pandemic means that these options need to be balanced in the broader public health context.

“There is a real benefit, we believe, in staying at the university this semester and benefiting from a combination of digital learning, personal learning, and a wider range of services and support available.”

Professor McCormack added, “It has been a very difficult start to the new academic year for the entire student community, both returning to the university and in particular, those attending for the first time.”