Malaysia education minister defends day-to-day decisions on haze-related school closures
Some parents have suggested closing schools for several consecutive days to make it easier for families to make arrangements, said Malaysia Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
A mother and her daughter at SJK(C) Foon Yew 2 in Johor Bahru after the school was closed due to the haze on Oct 9, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Zamzahuri Abas)
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SINGAPORE: Malaysia’s education minister on Monday (Oct 12) defended its day-to-day approach to school closures, as parents called for more certainty over arrangements during the worsening haze.
In a Facebook post, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said some parents had suggested closing schools for several consecutive days to make it easier for families to plan ahead.
But decisions have to take into account fluctuating air quality and the disruption that prolonged closures could cause to students’ learning, she said.
“In making decisions, it is important to understand the air pollutant index (API) readings can change depending on time and location,” she said.
School closures must therefore take into account the prevailing conditions in each area, she added.
“I understand these concerns. That’s why I have requested that decisions on school closures be announced as early as possible to give parents time to prepare,” said Fadhlina.
Haze management also involves several agencies, she explained, with the environment department responsible for monitoring air quality and addressing pollution while the health ministry provides the public with guidance on health risks.
The education ministry, meanwhile, focuses on students’ safety and the management of school operations based on prevailing conditions, she said.
Fadhlina also pointed to the impact of prolonged school disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Until today, efforts to address learning loss (during COVID-19) are still ongoing. Lost learning time is not easily recovered, especially since access to home-based teaching and learning facilities is not the same for all students,” she said.
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For boarding school students, the ministry’s recommendation is that they remain in their hostels during haze-related school closures as long as the conditions are safe.
“The education ministry does not want parents to be burdened with repeatedly picking up and sending their children back to school,” Fadhlina said.
Malaysia has 68 air quality monitoring stations nationwide under its Environmental Quality Monitoring Programme.
Under the education ministry’s guidelines, schools in areas with API readings above 180 must close. Schools will also close if readings remain above 150 for three consecutive days.
The worsening haze has prompted school closures in several states across Peninsular Malaysia since last week, with announcements made a day before.
Schools in Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Putrajaya alongside parts of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor resumed in-person classes on Monday after API readings on Sunday improved to moderate levels, local media reported.
In Johor, however, which remains the worst-affected state, all schools and educational institutions will remain closed for another five days from Oct 12 to Oct 16.
Johor began closing schools on Thursday. Several other affected states and areas followed suit on Friday.
The education ministry has said that state authorities will decide on school closures based on haze conditions, according to local media.
Source: CNA/ia(aj)
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