{
  "id": 14421180,
  "title": "'Let's take care of the kids today': Amid unhealthy air due to haze, WP MP Kenneth Tiong calls for classrooms to be air-conditioned",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/lets-take-care-of-the-kids-today-amid-unhealthy-air-due-to-haze-wp-mp",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-14T09:00:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Independent Singapore",
    "slug": "the-independent-singapore",
    "url": "https://theindependent.sg/let-s-take-care-of-the-kids-today-amid-unhealthy-air-due-to-haze-wp-mp-kenneth-tiong-calls-for-classrooms-to-be-air-conditioned"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Singapore's Workers’ Party Member of Parliament Kenneth Tiong has been advocating for air conditioning in schools due to the unhealthy air quality caused by haze. The issue has been discussed for over a week, with Johor schools closed since October 8 and expected to reopen after October 16. Meanwhile, Singapore schools are operating as usual, though the Education Ministry could suspend classes if the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) forecast exceeds 300 for the following day.\n\nTiong, a father of two, emphasizes the need for real protections for children during haze. He argues that if schools have proper air conditioning, there's no need to close them. He has raised this concern in Parliament twice, in September and March of this year. However, he clarifies that air conditioners don't need to be on continuously; classrooms should have the option to control the microclimate during poor conditions.\n\nCurrently, schools only have the ability to keep windows open and use fans, which doesn't help in the haze. The National Energy Agency states that air purifiers may not be effective when doors and windows are open, and when they're closed, rooms can become too hot. Tiong notes that in official haze plans, closed rooms are air-conditioned and preschool children must stay in rooms with closed doors and windows, with fans or air conditioners turned on.\n\nHe points out that the Education Ministry's haze plan also recommends keeping students in air-conditioned rooms with air purifiers if a student feels unwell during school hours. Tiong believes a child should not have to fall ill first before addressing the issue. He argues that the only difference between preschools and primary schools is the agency responsible - ECDA for preschools and MOE for schools. In air-conditioned schools, rooms can be closed and remain cool, with clean air, and reopened when conditions improve.",
  "summary": "SINGAPORE: In a social media post on Tuesday (Oct 13), Workers’ Party Member of Parliament (WP MP) Kenneth Tiong explained why he has been calling for air conditioning in Singapore’s classrooms, especially with the air quality in the unhealthy range because of haze. The Aljunied MP noted that this has been going on for more than a week, pointing out that in nearby Johor, schools have been closed…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}