Johor schools reopen in phases, exam candidates first and all pupils from 28 October

Schools in Johor reopen in phases from Monday 26 October 2026. On the first two days, only pupils sitting exams on the timetable may attend. All pupils are scheduled to return on Wednesday 28 October, subject to air quality, according to a statement by Johor Education and Information executive councillor Dr Muhammad Naqib Md Ghazali, reported by Bernama and Kosmo.

Parents should recheck what they read in earlier reports. On Saturday the state government decided all educational institutions would resume today, but Sunday's statement made clear the reopening comes in two phases.

What happens in each phase

• Phase one, 26 and 27 October: only pupils who must sit exams on the timetable may come to school. The two days also give administrators and teachers time to prepare for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Ujian Akhir Sesi Akademik (UASA) exams.
• Phase two, from 28 October: all schools across Johor are scheduled to operate fully as usual.

Naqib said the decision followed the decree of the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail, who places importance on the safety, health and well-being of the people of Johor.

Reopening still depends on the API

The statement stressed that schools can operate only as long as air quality allows. The Johor State Education Department (JPNJ) will coordinate health and safety standard operating procedures (SOPs), including face masks and monitoring of school activities based on current Air Pollutant Index (API) readings. The state government and agencies will keep watching the haze so they can act if conditions change.

As of 4pm on Sunday, only two Johor districts recorded unhealthy API readings, Pasir Gudang at 154 and Batu Pahat at 127, Bernama reported. Readings of 101 to 200 count as unhealthy.

What parents should do

• Make sure children sitting exams bring a face mask, since the haze SOPs require one.
• Pupils with no exam on 26 or 27 October do not need to go to school.
• Check JPNJ and Media Digital Johor before 28 October, because the date can change if the API rises again.

The situation in Sarawak

The Sarawak State Education Department ordered 27 schools in Tebedu district, Serian, closed on 26 October because of haze. Home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) applies, but face-to-face classes for SPM candidates continue with face masks. According to Bernama, Serian recorded the highest API in the country at 192 as of 6pm on Sunday, followed by Kuching (180) and Samarahan (177).

Background

Johor schools have been closed in stages since 8 October. The latest closure ran from 19 to 23 October, as covered in Johor schools stay closed until 23 October, with 30,648 asthma and URTI cases. Schools in other states reopened earlier, see Schools in five states reopen on 19 October with masks, and civil servants may work hybrid in haze. Advice on mask types is in Haze masks, MOH advises N95, and says three-ply masks give only limited protection.

Sources

• Kosmo, Sekolah Johor dibuka berperingkat mulai esok, 25 October 2026
• Malay Mail (Bernama), Haze: Johor schools to reopen in phases, starting with exam candidates, 25 October 2026
• Malay Mail (Bernama), Haze: 27 schools in Tebedu to close tomorrow, says Sarawak Education Dept, 25 October 2026
• Malay Mail (Bernama), Haze: Eight areas nationwide record unhealthy API as of 6pm, Serian highest at 192, 25 October 2026