Haze – Melaka, Johor schools to close

All schools in Melaka and Johor will be closed tomorrow following the unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings recorded in both states.

The Education Ministry in a statement today informed that the decision was based on the monitoring of air quality nationwide until 4 pm today which showed Johor and Melaka recording unhealthy (101-200) and very unhealthy (201-300) API readings.

The ministry said the closure will involve 1,178 schools in Johor which will affect 618,326 students and 314 schools in Melaka that will affect 156,635 students.

The state Education Departments and District Education Offices for the states and the affected areas must inform the schools and parents in their respective areas about the closure as soon as possible, the statement read.

Meanwhile, the ministry also said that schools in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Sri Aman, Kuching, Betong and Samarahan in Sarawak and Tanjung Malim in Perak which were closed today due to the haze will open as usual tomorrow following the improvement in air quality with a drop in the Air Pollutant Index (API).

The Education Ministry in a statement today, however, reminded all state education departments, district education office nationwide to continue to monitor API information issued from time to time.

According to the statement, if the API reading changes to unhealthy conditions at a reading of 100-200 or very unhealthy at a reading of 201-300, the party concerned may take action at their respective levels.

Action can be taken based on the measures issued by the Education Ministry to ensure the health and the safety of school students residing in areas affected by the haze which were considered critical.

Yesterday, the Education Ministry announced schools in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang as well as in Sri Aman, Kuching, Betong and Samarahan in Sarawak and Tanjung Malim in Perak, were closed today due to the haze.

Until 3 pm today, the API reading in the affected areas had dropped to a moderate level (51-100) except in Kuching and Samarahan which recorded an unhealthy API reading of 116 and 120. - Bernama