Johor extends school closures to Oct 16 as haze worsens

The southern Malaysian state of Johor first began closing its schools on Oct 8.

JOHOR BAHRU: All schools and educational institutions in the southern Malaysian state of Johor will remain closed for another five days from Oct 12 to Oct 16 due to the ongoing haze blanketing the region.

In a statement late on Saturday (Oct 10), Johor education and information committee chairman Muhammad Naqib Md Ghazali said the decision to extend the closure was made after considering current air pollution trends and health risks posed to students and the education community.

Johor first began closing its schools on Thursday. Several other states and areas affected then followed suit on Friday.

"This decision was made in deference to the decree of the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail, who consistently prioritises the safety, health and well-being of the people of Johor,” Naqib said.

Naqib added that the decision also considered several key factors based on an assessment of the current situation, including projected wind movements from Indonesia’s Kalimantan between Oct 13 and Oct 15, which he said could bring transboundary air pollution and affect air quality in Johor.

The Star reported that the Johor school closures will affect 1,198 schools and 617,258 students, encompassing both schools under the administration of the education ministry and state government religious schools.

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Naqib stressed that academic assessments and examinations scheduled during the closure would be postponed and rescheduled in accordance with the Johor Education Department and relevant education authorities.

"Home-based teaching and learning will continue where appropriate to ensure that students' learning is not disrupted," he said.

As of 9am on Sunday, 15 areas in Malaysia had air quality considered “unhealthy”. Of these, eight were in Johor. Malaysia's Air Pollutant Index (API) classifies air quality as "unhealthy" from 101 to 200, "very unhealthy" from 201 to 300, and "hazardous" above 300.

Naqib added that the Johor state government would continue monitoring air quality in cooperation with relevant agencies.

"Any further decisions regarding the reopening of educational institutions will be announced through official channels after considering the latest air quality developments and health and safety assessments."

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