SEREMBAN, April 18 — Schools need to cancel all outdoor activities if the Air Pollution Index (API) exceeds 101, Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying said.
She said it was part of the ministry’s existing standard operating procedure (SOP) and a circular regarding the matter has been issued to every state and district education department for further action.
“If the API reading goes up to 200 and above, the ministry will instruct the school to close. If the API reading is 101 and above, it means the air quality is not healthy, so any outdoor activity is prohibited.
“Currently, all students have been advised to put on their face masks, drink lots of water frequently and reduce all activities because of the hot weather,” she told reporters after visiting Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (C) Kampung Baru Rahang here today.
Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad was reported to have said that the haze situation in the country was expected to be more serious this year than in the past three years as plantation and industrial activities resumed their normal operations.
Earlier Lim visited SJK Tamil (T) Lobak and SJK (C) San Min to deliver RM200,000 in aid to each school for the development and maintenance of the Integrated Special Education Programmes.
She said there are 4,620 schools with at least one disabled-friendly facility whether it is ramps, handrails, disabled toilets and disabled parking.
“The ministry is enhancing the knowledge and skills of its officers to enable continuous effective monitoring to ensure that all schools are equipped with appropriate facilities and infrastructure for MBPK in line with the standards set,” she said.
She added that the ministry is preparing special lanes for special needs students to enable them to further their studies at teachers’ training institutes in various areas of specialisation to fulfil the needs of primary schools.
“Candidates who wish to apply need to be healthy, be able to manage themselves, active in co-curriculum activities and are registered with the Social Welfare Department,” she said, adding that 62 graduates in the field of Special Education with Learning Problems will be graduating in May.
