More than 2,400 schools closed today, tomorrow due to haze

• Updated with National Haze Action Plan.

More than 2,400 schools nationwide are to be closed today and tomorrow as a result of the haze situation, the Education Ministry announced.

The ministry stated that some 1,732,842 students are so far affected by these closures.

The numbers of schools closed today according to states are 124 in Kedah, Perak (250), Negeri Sembilan (53) and Sarawak (373).

Meanwhile, the number of schools slated to remain closed today and tomorrow are 939 in Selangor, Putrajaya (25), Kuala Lumpur (296) and Penang (399).

The ministry regularly updates lists of affected schools and districts on its Facebook page.

Schools are instructed to close as soon as the Environment Department’s Air Pollution Index (API) reading exceeds 200, which is labelled as unhealthy air quality.

Meanwhile, the Higher Education Department has called for all lectures at institutions of higher learning to be postponed if air quality is deemed to be unsafe.

In a related development, the Malaysian Meteorological Department has issued a National Haze Action Plan, outlining actions to be taken by the various government agencies and relevant parties in relation to air quality levels.