Schools to close starting tomorrow if API exceeds 180

All schools in regions with air pollutant index (API) readings exceeding 180 will cease operations tomorrow, the education ministry has declared. Director-General Azam Ahmad confirmed that areas registering API levels above 150 for three consecutive days will also shut down starting next Monday (October 12). As of 7:30 PM, three locations in Johor and Negeri Sembilan - Segamat (190), Seremban (189), and Nilai (183) - are experiencing API readings surpassing 180.

Teachers and administrators in impacted schools are permitted to work remotely during the closures. Azam emphasized that educational institutions must maintain lesson continuity through suitable alternative methods, depending on their unique circumstances and requirements. State education departments, district offices, and educational establishments will continuously monitor the situation and respond as needed when API levels surpass the specified thresholds.

The ministry will persistently observe developments and consult with the health ministry and other relevant agencies to safeguard the well-being of students, educators, and staff, as directed by the king. Recently, Sultan Ibrahim, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, instructed that schools in areas with API readings of 150 or higher should immediately close, underscoring the gravity of the current air quality situation.