{
  "id": 13863897,
  "title": "Haze: MOE to announce school closures as early as possible – Fadhlina",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/haze-moe-to-announce-school-closures-as-early-as-possible-fadhlina",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-12T03:37:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Vibes",
    "slug": "the-vibes",
    "url": "https://www.thevibes.com/articles/education/128246/haze-moe-to-announce-school-closures-as-early-as-possible-fadhlina"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek has acknowledged the desire of parents for early announcements regarding school closures due to the haze situation. She emphasized that such timely information would provide parents with the necessary time to prepare. However, she cautioned that API readings can vary based on time and location, hence decisions on closures must consider prevailing conditions in each area. The responsibility for haze management is shared between the Department of Environment, which monitors air quality, and the Ministry of Health, which offers health guidance. The Ministry of Education's role lies in ensuring student safety and managing school operations under current circumstances. Fadhlina recalled the adverse effects of school disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic on children's learning, highlighting the ongoing efforts to mitigate learning loss, especially considering disparities in home-based teaching and learning facilities among students. For boarding students, she advised they remain in hostels during school closures, provided safety conditions are met and their well-being is ensured to alleviate the inconvenience of frequent transportation. The Ministry of Education will continue to monitor the situation through State Education Departments and District Education Offices, while enhancing information dissemination to parents. Fadhlina expressed appreciation for parents' feedback and patience in handling the current haze situation.",
  "summary": "THE Ministry of Education (MOE) has been urged to announce decisions regarding school closures as early as possible to allow parents time to make preparations. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek stated that she understands the concerns of parents who ...",
  "key_points": [
    "API readings vary by time and location, influencing closure decisions.",
    "Ministry of Education ensures student safety and manages school operations under haze conditions."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Prioritizing early communication on school closures addresses parental concerns while attempting to balance student safety with the need to prevent learning disruptions caused by unpredictable air quality fluctuations.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Fadhlina: Schools cannot close for days as haze fluctuates",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/fadhlina-schools-cannot-close-for-days-as-haze-fluctuates",
        "published": "2026-10-12T02:49:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "School closures due to haze depend on local conditions, says Fadhlina",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/school-closures-due-to-haze-depend-on-local-conditions-says-fadhlina",
        "published": "2026-10-12T03:04:52.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}