JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor education department has set up a special task force to monitor the haze situation and prepare standard operating procedures for school operations.
Johor education and information committee chairman Dr Naqib Ghazali said the establishment of the task force was agreed upon at the state haze management coordination meeting, which he chaired this morning.
Naqib said the meeting, attended by various agencies, including the National Security Council, also agreed to activate the state disaster management committee to strengthen inter-agency coordination.
In a Facebook post, he said providing early notice on school closure or reopening gives parents, guardians, teachers and schools sufficient time to prepare.
He said the state disaster management committee had also been advised to monitor and assess the haze situation daily, while official information and decisions are to be communicated to the public clearly and consistently.
Naqib acknowledged concerns by parents over their children’s health, as well as the challenges faced by teachers and schools in managing lessons during the haze.
He said decisions would not be based solely on air pollutant Index readings, but would also take into account environmental conditions, health risks, pupil safety, and the preparedness of all parties.
He said the state government would continue to work with the relevant agencies to ensure that measures were coordinated and guided by the latest assessments to safeguard the learning environment of students.
Education minister Fadhlina Sidek announced today that all schools in Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Putrajaya will be closed tomorrow because of the haze.
Fadhlina said schools in certain districts in Selangor (Hulu Langat, Petaling Perdana, Kuala Langat and Sepang) and Pahang (Kuantan and Rompin) will also be closed.
She said schools in Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, Penang, Perak, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak, as well as certain districts in Selangor and Pahang, will continue to be open as usual.
She urged parents and school communities to refer to announcements by the education ministry and the state and district education offices for updates.