States to decide daily on school closures as haze persists
By DayakDaily Team KUCHING, Oct 11: State Education Directors will decide daily whether schools continue operating as usual or switch to home-based learning amid the ongoing haze, says the Ministry of Education (MOE).…
Source: Dayak Daily · October 11, 2026 at 6:01 AM · AI-assisted report
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KUALA LUMPUR, 11 OCTOBER 2026 —
State Education Directors will decide each day whether schools remain open or shift to home‑based learning as the nationwide haze persists, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced in a statement issued on Oct 10.
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The directive applies to all states and is intended to protect the health of schoolchildren while maintaining continuity of education during the air‑quality episode.
The ministry said the daily decision‑making process is necessary because haze conditions can change rapidly and affect different regions unevenly. By empowering State Education Directors to act on the latest data, the MOE aims to give parents and schools clear, timely guidance and to alleviate concerns about pupils’ exposure to polluted air.
According to the Oct 10 statement, the MOE has instructed State Education Directors to set up Haze Monitoring Task Forces that include officials from State Education Departments and District Education Offices. These task forces are to monitor the Air Pollutant Index (API) released each day by the Department of Environment.
“Based on the information and data gathered by these task forces, State Education Directors will decide on the operating status of schools, whether they will operate as usual or implement home‑based teaching and learning (BDR‑PdPR),” the ministry said.
The statement also specifies when the decisions must be communicated. For Group A schools, announcements are to be made by 2.45 pm on Saturdays; for Group B schools, the deadline is 2.45 pm on Sundays. On all other days, State Education Directors must announce the operating status before 5.45 pm, using the API readings provided by the Department of Environment.
The ministry added that “this notification will also facilitate arrangements for students travelling to their boarding schools or returning home.”
The MOE acknowledged worries among parents and guardians about the impact of haze on children’s health and urged families to stay alert to updates issued through the official channels of State Education Departments, District Education Offices and individual schools.