Schools in 5 states to reopen tomorrow despite haze

 The education ministry last week said schools will be closed when the API reading reaches 200.

Students attending classes are encouraged to wear face masks, while parents and guardians of children with health concerns are permitted to keep them at home. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR:

Schools under the education ministry in Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Melaka, Pahang and Penang will reopen tomorrow, with precautionary measures in place amid the haze.

In Selangor, the state education department ordered all outdoor activities to be suspended and called for students to wear face masks.

School administrators must monitor air pollutant index (API) readings and pay particular attention to students who are at higher risk.

Parents or guardians concerned about their children’s health have the option not to send them to school but must inform the school first, the department said.

It also advised parents and the school community to obtain updates through official channels or directly from their schools.

In Negeri Sembilan, the state education department said the end-of-academic-session assessments (UASA) scheduled during this period must be postponed and rescheduled by the respective schools due to the haze.

The directive also applies to internal school examinations. Outdoor activities must stop when the API reading exceeds 100, it said.

In Melaka, the state education department said school administrators must continuously monitor API readings from the environment department and pay particular attention to high-risk students.

Parents, guardians and the school community were advised to check the department’s official channels or contact their schools for updates.

In Pahang, all schools in Bentong will continue operating as usual, but outdoor activities have been postponed until further notice.

Schools in other districts will also operate as usual, the state education department said.

Any changes to school operations will be announced through the department’s official channels and the respective district education offices.

In Penang, the state education department encouraged students to wear face masks and stay hydrated. Schools were also advised to ensure an adequate supply of drinking water is made available to students.

The education ministry last week reverted to the National Haze Action Plan (PTJK) guidelines, which mandate the immediate closure of schools when the API reaches 200.

API readings of 0-50 indicate good air quality, 51-100 moderate, 101-200 unhealthy, 201-300 very unhealthy, and above 300 are considered hazardous. - FMT