KUALA LUMPUR: Schools in areas which register unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) of more than 100 have been reminded to restrict outdoor activities, said Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching.
She said if the API reading reached a very unhealthy level of 200, school administrations were allowed to close schools immediately without the Education Ministry’s permission.
“The standard operating procedure has been established,” she told the New Straits Times.
She shared with the NST a circular on ways to ensure students’ health and safety if the haze continued to persist. The circular, dated Jan 15, was issued by the ministry to directors of state Education Departments.
According to the circular, students have been advised to protect themselves by wearing masks and drinking lots of water.
Parents are allowed to not send their children to school over health precautions during the haze situation, provided that they inform the school management.
School administrations are required to immediately inform parents or guardians if their children become unhealthy due to any worsening haze situation.
The circular reminded school administrations to frequently check API readings and the haze situation in their areas or districts via the media or by visiting the Department of Environment’s website at http://apims.doe.gov.my.
It was reported in March that the ministry had allowed schools to decide whether to stop outdoor activities, as well as run and close classes if the haze situation in their respective areas continued to worsen.
As at 5pm yesterday, only Kuala Terengganu recorded an unhealthy API reading of 113. The readings at 66 API stations around the country were moderate. Only the API station in Tawau, Sabah, registered a good reading of 28.
The Fire and Rescue Department said it would focus on air patrols in Sepang and Banting to stop open burning.
Its director-general, Datuk Mohammad Hamdan Wahid, said the two hotspots were classified as “at risk” areas as they were located along the flight path for aircraft and known for peat fires.
He said attention would be given to high-risk areas in Johor, Perak, Pahang and the Klang Valley.
“We have taken necessary steps as we do not want any fire to break out, especially at the hotspots. The people are advised to restrict outdoor activities, especially those suffering from asthma or respiratory illnesses.”