Haze forces closure of schools in 3 Perak districts

Schools and other educational institutions in three Perak districts have been ordered to close immediately due to haze, after the air pollutant index (API) reading in Ipoh reached 180.

Perak state education director Zulkafli Mohamed Mokhtar said the closure affects all educational institutions under the education ministry in Kinta Utara, Kinta Selatan and Kuala Kangsar.

“Schools must implement home-based teaching and learning to ensure continuity in pupils’ education,” he said in a statement today.

“Teachers and support staff must work from home throughout the closure, subject to current instructions and requirements.”

Zulkafli urged parents and guardians to follow official announcements from the Perak education department for updates, particularly on when schools will reopen.

They are also advised not to make assumptions about reopening dates and to refer only to official announcements from the department.

“Schools must continue to monitor the situation and prioritise the safety, health and welfare of pupils and the education community,” he said.

Perak joins Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Rompin in Pahang in closing schools due to the haze.

Under the education ministry’s closure directives, schools in areas recording API readings above 180 are to close, while those in areas with readings above 150 for three consecutive days will close from Oct 12.

As of 1pm, Tasek in Ipoh recorded an API reading of 182, followed by Pegoh in Ipoh at 175, Tanjung Malim at 174, Seri Manjung at 159 and Taiping at 123.

An API reading between 101 and 200 is classified as unhealthy, while readings above 200 are considered very unhealthy.