Schools in Penang may be closed and home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) implemented if the Air Pollutant Index (API) reaches 200 or above as the state continues to experience unhealthy air quality.
Penang Education Department (JPN) director Mohd Dziauddin Mat Saad said the department was closely monitoring API readings and would notify schools in affected areas if the threshold was reached.
“All four monitoring stations have recorded readings above 160, which is in the unhealthy category. If the API reaches 200, in line with the guidelines issued, we will notify the schools concerned about closure and the implementation of PdPR,” he told reporters after the state-level Malaysia Day celebration at Dewan Millenium in Kepala Batas today.
He said API readings would be monitored every two hours, particularly at 6pm and 8pm today, to determine whether schools in affected areas need to be closed.
Any closure would be implemented based on the affected areas, with the respective District Education Offices notifying schools tonight.
Penang JPN has also operated a War Room since Aug 13 to monitor the haze and ensure updates are relayed to schools promptly.
The department has yet to receive reports of students experiencing health problems linked to the haze but schools have been advised to monitor students with respiratory problems.
Meanwhile, Penang Housing and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Seri S. Sundarajoo said the state government would continue monitoring air quality after all four monitoring stations recorded unhealthy readings today.
Department of Environment (DOE) Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS) readings at 11am showed Minden had the highest API at 167, followed by Balik Pulau at 164, Seberang Jaya at 162 and Seberang Perai at 160.
“Minden and Balik Pulau recorded unhealthy levels over the past 24 hours, while Seberang Jaya and Seberang Perai saw their readings rise from moderate to unhealthy,” he said in a statement today.
Sundarajoo added that the DOE would step up monitoring of open burning and fires that could worsen air quality, with enforcement action to be taken where necessary.
