Seven schools in Penang’s Minden area suspended outdoor activities after haze pushed the Air Pollutant Index (API) into unhealthy territory, the state education department said.
Penang Education Department director Mohamad Dziauddin Mat Saad said the Department of Environment’s Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS) recorded an API of 107 at the Minden monitoring station at noon on 13 August. The reading climbed to 103 an hour later before easing to 97 at 3pm and 96 at 8pm, placing it in the moderate category, NST reported.
Dziauddin said seven schools, comprising four primary and three secondary institutions, were affected. While classrooms remained open, all outdoor activities involving students were halted as a precaution.
“We are monitoring API levels periodically. In accordance with Ministry of Education guidelines, schools in areas with unhealthy API readings will continue to operate as usual, but all outdoor activities involving students will be suspended as a precautionary measure,” he told Bernama.
Under the Education Ministry’s haze management guidelines, schools must suspend outdoor activities once the API exceeds 100. If the reading crosses 200, all schools in the affected area must close immediately. Teachers and support staff are not required to report for duty when the API exceeds 500.
At 8pm on 13 August, monitoring stations at Balik Pulau, Seberang Perai and Seberang Jaya recorded API readings between 84 and 95, all within the moderate range. The Minden station’s readings showed a steady decline through the afternoon, suggesting conditions were improving by evening. Dziauddin said he would meet all headmasters and principals at 11am on 14 August to provide updates and outline contingency measures should conditions deteriorate again.
Students were advised to wear face masks and drink water frequently. Schools were told to immediately refer any pupils who became unwell to their parents or guardians.
The guidelines stipulate that schools may reopen once the API falls below 200 and shows a sustained and consistent downward trend. An API reading of 0 to 50 indicates good air quality, 51 to 100 is moderate, 101 to 200 is unhealthy, 201 to 300 is very unhealthy, and above 300 is hazardous, the department said.
