All Schools in Sarawak to Reopen Tuesday After Haze Closure

All schools across 10 districts in Sarawak, Malaysia, are set to reopen on Tuesday, marking a return to normal operations after temporary closures due to severe haze.

The decision to reopen 591 schools, comprising 509 primary schools with 107,590 students and 82 secondary schools with 89,733 students, was made by the Sarawak State Education Department (JPN Sarawak). This move follows a review of the Air Pollutant Index (API) readings recorded by the Department of Environment's Air Quality Management System (APIMS) as of 10 a.m. today.

The affected districts include Kuching, Padawan, Bau, Lundu, Samarahan, Simunjan, Serian, Sri Aman, Lubok Antu, and Betong. JPN Sarawak stated that any updates or changes would be communicated promptly.

The department reiterated its commitment to prioritizing the welfare, health, and safety of students, particularly during adverse weather conditions like heatwaves or haze phenomena. Clear guidelines are in place: all outdoor classroom activities are to be halted if the API exceeds 100. Schools in affected areas must close immediately if the API surpasses 200, and teachers and staff are not required to attend if the API exceeds 500. School reopenings are contingent on API readings falling below 200, with a downward trend in readings serving as a precursor to resuming classes.