SHAH ALAM, Oct 8 — Schools under the Education Ministry (MOE) in Selangor have been ordered shut until further notice, as the haze gets worse.
Selangor State Education Department (JPNS) director Datin Wan Nor Ashikin Abu Kassim said the order, effective tomorrow, will be active until a date yet undetermined.
She said the order is in line with an MOE statement yesterday that urged student and school staff safety be prioritised.
“All schools and education institutions under JPN Selangor will be closed,” she said in a notice today.
At 10pm, the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading in Johan Setia was an unhealthy 177, followed by Shah Alam (172), Banting (171), Petaling Jaya (168), and Klang (164). Kuala Selangor was the only locality with a moderate reading, at 95.
Meanwhile, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) tonight said all schools under its purview will be shut until further notice.
JAIS director Dato’ Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad said the order takes effect tomorrow and will continue until otherwise announced by the department.
He said private Islamic schools registered with JAIS are also urged to close to ensure students’ health and safety.
Wan Nor Ashikin and Shahzihan both said schools must conduct teaching and learning from home (PdPR), and that teachers and school staff have been told to work from home.
Wan Nor Ashikin asked parents and guardians to follow JPNS’ updates, especially about school reopening dates, and urged that they don’t make assumptions about these dates.
Selangor’s District Education Offices (PPD) meanwhile have been directed to ensure school closure notices reach schools, teachers, school staff, parents, and students in their respective districts.
Wan Nor Ashikin and Shahzihan said schools must monitor haze updates and prioritise student and staff health, safety and welfare.
