KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 – The Sarawak state education department has ordered schools to shutter amid the haze if air quality becomes very unhealthy, with Air Pollution Index (API) readings exceeding 200.
Public exams will be continued, said the department, unless API readings reached 300 (hazardous), as Year Six students are scheduled to continue sitting for their UPSR test tomorrow.
If readings exceed 300, the state department will leave the decision to the Examinations Board to postpone the exam to a future date.
“The reopening of all schools depends if API readings fall below 200,” the Sarawak state education department said in a statement today.
As of 5pm, API readings recorded two stations in Sarawak, namely Kuching and Sri Aman as very unhealthy at 245 and 248 respectively; whereas three stations, namely Sibu (123), Sarikei (149) and Samarahan (195) were unhealthy.
Seven remaining stations in Sarawak recorded moderate API readings.
Air quality at 5pm was also unhealthy in the peninsula, with readings of 150 in Johan Setia, Selangor; 110 in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur; 108 in Nilai, Negri Sembilan; 105 in Batu Muda, Kuala Lumpur; and 103 in Putrajaya.
