Principals can close schools if haze worsens - Muhyiddin

Principals and headmasters can close schools under their jurisdiction if the air pollutant index (API) reading exceeds 200 during the current haze enveloping the Klang Valley, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said on Tuesday.

Muhyiddin, who is also the education minister, said the Education Ministry had activated the standing instruction for schools to take the appropriate action should the haze worsen.

The principals and headmasters had only to notify the district education officer of the closure of their schools, he told a news conference after chairing the 67th meeting of the National Council for Local Government, here.

"The principals and headmasters are empowered to make decisions in accordance with the guidelines," he said.

Also present at the news conference were Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan and the deputy minister, Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique.

Muhyiddin said that should the API reading exceed 100, students at risk of suffering asthma attacks were discouraged from participating in outdoor activities.

If the API reading exceeded 150, all outdoor activities would have to be scrapped, he added.

As at 8pm Tuesday, two areas in the country recorded unhealthy API readings; Nilai (102) and Banting (102).

API readings of between 0 and 50 indicate that the air quality is good; 51 to 100, moderate; 101 to 200, unhealthy; 201 to 300, very unhealthy and 300 and above, dangerous.