Educational institutions in parts of Perak closed
Perak Education Department ordered the immediate closure of all educational institutions in Kinta Utara, Kinta Selatan and Kuala Kangsar due to worsening haze, after the Air Pollutant Index at the CA11A monitoring…
Source: The Star · October 11, 2026 at 12:02 AM · AI-assisted report
Single-source
KUALA LUMPUR, 11 OCTOBER 2026 —
Perak Education Department ordered the immediate closure of all educational institutions in Kinta Utara, Kinta Selatan and Kuala Kangsar due to worsening haze, after the Air Pollutant Index at the CA11A monitoring station in Tasek, Ipoh reached 180 at 11 am yesterday.
Market Impact
The closure is intended to protect pupils and staff from unhealthy air quality, with schools switching to Teaching and Learning at Home (PdPR) to keep education continuing during the shutdown. Teachers and support staff will work from home for the duration of the closure, subject to any further instructions and operational requirements issued by the department.
Perak Education Department director Zulkafli Mohamed Mokhtar said the API reading of 180 was recorded at the CA11A station in Tasek, Ipoh at 11 am on 9 October 2026. He added that district education offices in the affected areas must ensure the announcement is communicated to every school, educational institution, teacher, support staff, parent, guardian and pupil in their respective districts.
Zulkafli also urged schools to continue monitoring the haze situation and to prioritise the safety, health and welfare of pupils and the broader education community.
On Thursday, the Education Ministry announced similar closures for schools in Selangor, Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Rompin. Johor had already issued a closure order on Wednesday after haze conditions worsened in that state.
Zulkafli advised parents and guardians to follow only official announcements from the Perak Education Department regarding any decision to reopen schools, warning them against making assumptions about the timing of the resumption of face‑to‑face lessons.
He said, “Parents and guardians have been advised to follow official announcements by the Perak Education Department regarding the reopening of schools,” and added, “Parents and guardians are also advised against making assumptions about when schools will reopen and should refer only to official announcements by the department.”
The next step is for schools and district offices to maintain communication with families and to await further guidance from the Perak Education Department and the national Education Ministry before any reopening can be considered.