KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — Schools in Melaka, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Perak, Pahang, and Penang, as well as Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, will operate as usual tomorrow, with outdoor activities suspended due to the haze.
In Negeri Sembilan, the state Education Department said that all educational institutions under the Education Ministry (MOE) will operate as usual. However, schools must postpone and reschedule the Final Academic Session Exam scheduled during this period.
The postponement also applies to all internal school examinations, in line with the MOE's statement dated Thursday (October 15). All outdoor activities must be suspended if the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading exceeds 100.
In Melaka, Selangor, Putrajaya, and Kuala Lumpur, school administrators were instructed to monitor API readings issued by the Environment Department and pay particular attention to higher-risk pupils.
In Pahang, the state Education Department said schools in Rompin, Bentong, and Cameron Highlands will operate tomorrow, but all outdoor activities are to be suspended.
Schools in other districts would operate as usual, with any changes to be announced through the respective District Education Offices.
The Perak Education Department urged everyone to remain alert to developments and heed the authorities' advice on the haze.
In Penang, the state Education Department encouraged pupils to drink sufficient water and instructed schools to ensure an adequate supply of drinking water.
Pupils and school staff are also encouraged to wear face masks as a precaution, particularly those with respiratory symptoms or who belong to high-risk groups.
The Education Departments in Melaka, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Perak, and Penang, as well as Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, have also given parents and guardians concerned about their children's health the option to keep them at home, provided they inform the school.
Earlier, Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek said the MOE, the Health Ministry, and the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry jointly made decisions on school closures due to the haze, based on each ministry's expertise.
The decisions account for air quality monitoring and the health risks to pupils, as well as the impact on learning if schools remained closed for too long.
Meanwhile, Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, the Queen of Malaysia, has urged the government, the private sector, and local communities to take proactive, collective action to address the physical and psychological effects of haze on students and families.
Her Majesty stressed the importance of community cooperation to strengthen the effectiveness of home-based teaching and learning, as well as developing long-term strategies to deal with the haze.
