Sweeping school closures across Malaysia as haze worsens

PUTRAJAYA: Schools in parts of Malaysia were closed on Friday (Oct 9) as worsening haze pushed air quality to unhealthy levels across the country.

The areas affected include the states of Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor, as well as the country's capital Kuala Lumpur and its administrative centre Putrajaya, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said in a Facebook post on Thursday.

Schools in the Rompin district in the state of Pahang were also closed.

"I have asked all state education departments and district education offices to continue to monitor the haze situation and take immediate action if the situation requires it," said Fadhlina.

The minister said she understood that the school closures would affect the parents’ daily routines and arrangements.

"Moving forward, we will ensure that any decision regarding school closures is announced in advance so that parents have sufficient time to make preparations," she said.

Fadhlina added that the safety and health of the children, teachers and all members of the education community will remain the top priority.

Malaysia's Air Pollutant Index (API) classifies air quality as "unhealthy" from 101 to 200, "very unhealthy" from 201 to 300, and "hazardous" above 300. On Friday morning, 37 areas recorded unhealthy API levels, according to government data.

NATIONAL SPORTS DAY CELEBRATIONS POSTPONED

In a statement on Friday, Malaysia's Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) announced that Saturday's National Sports Day celebrations in seven states and federal territories have been postponed due to the haze.

Celebrations in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Kedah, Penang, Negeri Sembilan and Malacca will be postponed. However, events in Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan, Perlis, Perak, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan will proceed as planned.

"New dates will be announced later, subject to air quality returning to safe levels for outdoor activities," said the ministry.

The decision was made following discussions with relevant government agencies, and as a precautionary measure to prevent any health risks to participants, organisers and members of the public.

The ministry apologised for any inconvenience caused and thanked the parties involved for their understanding and cooperation. 

Malaysia’s education ministry said schools and education institutions would be required to close if API readings exceeded 180 or remained above 150 for three consecutive days, The Star reported on Thursday.

The ministry’s director-general Mohd Azam Ahmad said they had heeded the Malaysian king’s advice to close schools in affected areas, particularly where API readings have remained between 150 and 180 for prolonged periods.

"The ministry expresses its appreciation for the concern and decree of His Majesty regarding the safety and health of students following the haze affecting the country," he said in a statement on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Mohd Azam said that affected schools and educational institutions under the ministry were required to conduct home-based learning.

"During this period, schools must ensure the continuity of students' teaching and learning through appropriate methods, taking into consideration students' capabilities, access and needs, as well as teachers' preparedness.

"Teachers and members of the support staff group are also allowed to work from home throughout the closure period," said Mohd Azam.

"The ministry will continue to monitor developments from time to time and seek advice from the Health Ministry and relevant agencies to ensure the safety, health and welfare of students and education personnel are protected," he said.

SCHOOLS IN JOHOR CLOSE FOR TWO DAYS

All schools in Johor were closed for two days from Thursday as a precautionary measure to safeguard the health and safety of students.

"The state government understands that the closure could affect parents and guardians who still had to work," said Johor Education and Information Committee chairman Muhammad Naqib Md Ghazali on Wednesday.

Johor is the first state in Peninsular Malaysia to announce temporary school closures during this year’s haze season. The statewide move follows the closure of around 300 educational institutions in Johor’s Batu Pahat district on Wednesday, after the API there reached the "very unhealthy" range.

Naqib said assessments scheduled during the closure would be postponed, subject to the decisions of the Johor Education Department and relevant parties.

"While this decision may require some adjustment from everyone, under the current circumstances, the safety and health of Johor’s children must be our shared priority," he said.

Indonesia has struggled to contain forest and land fires across several provinces, which have led to thick haze in neighbouring nations including Malaysia and Singapore.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday that Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto had agreed to take necessary steps to combat the haze, with Malaysia ready to offer assistance. 

Anwar said he had asked Malaysia's foreign minister to push for a meeting of ministers from the Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN to coordinate a regional response and support Indonesia's efforts.