The Tibet autonomous region expects students studying in other provinces to return to those schools by mid-September because of the latest COVID-19 outbreak after postponing the start of autumn semester, regional authorities said at a news briefing on Sunday afternoon.

According to the regional education department, Tibet has more than 920,000 students studying at various schools in the region.

Currently, the region has more than 64,000 college students at institutions in other provinces; 18,600 students studying in different Tibetan-class schools in other provinces; 6,600 at Xizang Minzu University in Xianyang, Shaanxi province; and a number of students from outside of the region who must return to schools in other provinces and regions.

Lu Shenghua, deputy head of the regional education department, said the region's students at vocational training schools and in various schools in other provinces and regions need to get the permission before leaving Tibet, and they must meet the region's epidemic-control requirements.

Lu said any students belonging to any of the categories, including high- or medium-risk areas, asymptomatic carriers, close contacts or secondary contacts are not allowed to go back to school for the moment. They are only allowed to consider of leaving the region after being dismissed from COVID management and control.

"The school opening time for students in low-risk areas within the region needs to follow the rules and evaluation of local governments. The specific school opening time will be decided by the local government based on their evaluation," Lu said.

"Any students from high- or medium-risk areas of the region are suspended from returning school for now, and they will continue to have online instruction."