Haze shuts schools in four states, KL and Putrajaya. Here are the new API rules
Schools in Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, KL, Putrajaya and Rompin closed on Friday. KPM now closes schools when the API goes above 180.
The haze has been one of the most searched topics on Google in Malaysia this week, and its effects have now reached the classroom. On Friday, 9 October, schools were closed in Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor, as well as in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. Schools in the Rompin district of Pahang were also closed.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek announced the closures on Facebook on Thursday night. On Friday morning, 37 areas recorded Air Pollutant Index (API) readings at unhealthy levels, according to government data cited by Reuters and CNA.
New rules for schools
The Education Ministry (KPM) announced new closure thresholds on 8 October:
- Schools and educational institutions in areas with an API above 180 are closed.
- Areas that record an API above 150 for three consecutive days will be closed from Monday, 12 October.
- Schools that close switch to online learning, and teachers and administrators are allowed to work from home.
Previously, the standard operating procedure only called for closures when the API reached the "very unhealthy" level, which is 201 and above. KPM said it was acting earlier after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong advised that schools in affected areas be closed. Fadhlina also said future closure decisions would be announced earlier so that parents have time to prepare.
How to read the API
| API reading | Level |
|---|---|
| 101 to 200 | Unhealthy |
| 201 to 300 | Very unhealthy |
| Above 300 | Hazardous |
Cause and regional action
The haze comes from forest and land fires in Indonesia. According to Reuters, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto had agreed to take the necessary steps, and that Malaysia was ready to help. Anwar also asked the Foreign Minister to press for a meeting of ASEAN ministers to coordinate a regional response.
National Sports Day (Hari Sukan Negara) celebrations on Saturday, 10 October, were also postponed in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Kedah, Penang, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka. New dates will be announced once the air quality is safe again.
What's next
KPM and the state education departments are monitoring API readings daily. Check the latest reading for your area on the Department of Environment's APIMS portal, and follow official notices from your child's school before Monday.
Sources
Pasukan editorial odyc
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