73 students’ visas sorted out, gov’t working on remaining 88 students

The Solomon Islands Government continues to work on sorting out expired Visas of students studying in the Philippines.

This is according to the Prime Minister Hon. Manasseh Sogavare, MP during his weekly National Address.

According to the Prime Minister, out the 161 students that had problems with their Student Visas last week, 73 of them had been sorted.

He also stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Human Resources are currently focusing on sorting out the expired Students Visas for the remaining 88 students.

Meanwhile, the 3 repatriation flights remain on schedule for the 27th and 29th of September and 27th of October 2020. 

According to the Prime Minister, “The students have been divided into 3 groups and their COVID-19 testing regime is scheduled in accordance with their respective flight dates.”

He stated that each group are taken to stay in a preselected and prepaid hotel to minimize the risk of exposure to the virus before their departure.

The first group of students had their second tests yesterday and the second group are scheduled to have their second tests tomorrow.

“These students all tested negative in the first test. It is our hope that they will all return negative test results,” the Prime Minister said.

Meanwhile, the Oversight Committee has been advised that a further 2 students have tested positive and have now joined the 12 positive cases under the care of the Philippine Red Cross.

The two students were part of the first group that missed their first test.

Both students were not symptomatic and did not show signs of illness.

OPMC PRESS RELEASE