PETALING JAYA: Schools will close when the air pollutant index (API) reaches 200, while outdoor activities must stop when readings exceed 100, as the education ministry returns to its long-standing haze policy.
Education minister Fadhlina Sidek said she welcomed the National Disaster Management Agency's emphasis that haze response measures must be guided by the National Haze Action Plan.
"Accordingly, the education ministry has begun coordinating school operating procedures based on the National Haze Action Plan," she said in a Facebook post.
"The aim is to make decisions in a more orderly way, based on an assessment of current conditions, including API readings, and advice from the health ministry."
Fadhlina acknowledged that API readings could change in a short period, and closing schools several days in advance without accounting for this could cause students to lose learning time even after air quality had improved.
However, she said that parents could still keep their children home if they were worried about their health and safety during the haze, as long as they informed the school.
"The safety and health of children remain our priority. But every school day also has great value for their development and learning," she said.
She hoped the coordination would give parents more certainty and ease the difficulties they faced.
Under the ministry’s 2019 policy, schools are to close when the API reaches 200, subject to confirmation by the district disaster management committee.
During the current haze episode, however, the ministry introduced temporary closure thresholds based on API readings.
Schools in areas recording API readings above 180 were to close, while those in areas where readings exceeded 150 for three consecutive days were to close from Oct 12.
This followed a call by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim, for schools in areas recording API readings of 150 and above to close immediately.
As of 6pm, Johor remains the worst-hit state, with Pasir Gudang topping the API list at 184, followed by Larkin at 183, Pengerang (172), Kota Tinggi (167), Batu Pahat (162), Tangkak (158), Kluang (156) and Segamat (152).
In the Klang Valley, API readings stood at 182 in Klang, followed by Johan Setia (180), Cheras (173), Putrajaya (170), Shah Alam (168), Banting (165), Batu Muda (163) and Petaling Jaya (160).
Negeri Sembilan recorded unhealthy air quality in Nilai (179,) Port Dickson (169) and Seremban (166), while Melaka reported similar readings in Bukit Rambai (175), Bandaraya Melaka (170) and Alor Gajah (165).
On the east coast, Pahang continued to record unhealthy API readings in Indera Mahkota (155) and Temerloh (152), while Terengganu reported hazy conditions in Kemaman (153) and Paka (111).