Over 70% of Johor primary schoolkids skip online classes amid haze

A parents group based in Johor has revealed that less than 30% of primary school students have been participating in online classes following the closure of schools due to haze. Yahya Jaafar, chair of the Johor Private and Community Parents Association, made this statement, differing sharply from the 70% participation rate among secondary school students.

Yahya attributed the lower primary school participation rate to challenges faced by working parents, as well as a lack of devices and guidance at home, according to Utusan Malaysia. He expressed concern that this could impact students' learning, particularly those preparing for their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia exams this year. During the Covid-19 pandemic, parents were typically home to assist their children with online lessons, but this situation is different now as many parents are still working and unable to closely monitor their children.

Yahya suggested schools reopen with mandatory mask-wearing and limit open spaces to reduce haze exposure. For boarding schools, lessons could be conducted in dormitories. As of 8am, the air pollutant index in Pasir Gudang was 180, followed by Larkin (176), Kota Tinggi (169), Pengerang (166), Batu Pahat (161), Kluang (154), Tangkak (151) and Segamat (133).