Recently, the Education Ministry announced that all schools must stop their gatherings and outdoor (sports) activities if the air pollutant index (API) reading exceeds the 100-mark, wrote The Star.
According to the Education deputy director-general Shaari Osman, the new law was decreed after the amendments were made to the “National Haze Action Plan by the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry”.
Priorly, outdoor activities were only allowed to stop if the API reading surpasses 150. Shaari was quoted as saying,
“With the change, schools are to stop all outdoor activities involving gatherings and sports involving all students in the event there is haze and the API reading exceeds 100.”
Source: Channel NewsAsia
If you didn’t know, the air quality is classified into five categories as according to their API reading. Their categories are mentioned below:
- 0-50 (good)
- 51-100 (moderate)
- 101-200 (unhealthy)
- 201-300 (very unhealthy)
- 301 and above (hazardous)
However, the rule which requires schools to close if the API reading exceeds 200 still stands. He continued,
“Schools are to re-open only if there is a trend indicating that the API reading has been below 200. Under these circumstances, students should be advised to put on nasal masks and to drink water more frequently.”
That being said, Shaari pointed out that if parents don’t want to send their children to school even after the API reading drops to below 200, they are allowed to keep their kids at home. Nonetheless, national and school examinations will still continue after the API reading drops.
Shaari also added that teachers and other school staff need not attend work if the API reading exceeds 500 and above.
Source: CNN
Commenting on the same issue, NUTP president Kamarozaman Abd Razak reckoned that headmasters should be given a caution to halt outdoor activities if the API reading is at 80 or 90. Do you agree with him?
All in all, this seems like a good initiative to ensure that our students’ health aren’t jeopardised because of haze. What do you think of this new rule? Let us know in the comments below!
Also read: Haze Incoming: Klang Air Pollution Index Already At 65 as of 14th August
