PETALING JAYA: The Melaka education department has been urged to clarify conflicting air pollutant index (API) thresholds for school closures and reopening during haze periods.
The Melaka Action Group for Parents in Education (Magpie) said schools were reportedly required to close when API readings exceeded 150 but could reopen when readings fell below 200.
It said the overlapping thresholds had caused confusion among parents, particularly when API readings were between 151 and 199.
"If the API reading is between 151 and 199, should schools be closed or remain open?" its chairman, Mak Chee Kin, asked.
Mak said several parents had contacted him to seek clarification on whether their children should attend school.
He also urged the department to announce school closures earlier, preferably by noon the day before, to give parents, teachers and school transport operators sufficient time to prepare.
While acknowledging that haze conditions could change rapidly, Mak said the health and safety of students and teachers must remain the priority.
"This is not about criticising the authorities for taking precautionary measures. Rather, it is about ensuring that decisions affecting students, teachers and thousands of families are transparent, consistent and properly communicated," he said.