Malaysia closed schools in Kuala Lumpur and several other areas on Friday, October 9, after haze from fires in neighbouring Indonesia pushed air pollution to unhealthy levels, prompting authorities to prioritise the health and safety of students and school staff.
The closures affect Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor, as well as the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. Schools in Rompin district in Pahang are also affected. Schools in Perlis, Perak, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan were continuing to operate as usual.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sideka said state education departments and district education offices had been directed to monitor air quality closely and take prompt action if conditions worsened and further measures became necessary.
She acknowledged that school closures could disrupt parents’ daily routines and said the ministry intended to give families more advance notice when future closure decisions were made.
The closures followed worsening air quality across parts of Peninsular Malaysia. Malaysia’s Department of Environment reported that 38 areas recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of 3pm on Thursday, October 8. Segamat in Johor recorded a reading of 190, followed by Seremban at 186 and Nilai at 185.
The haze has been linked to fires in Indonesia, with smoke spreading across national borders and affecting neighbouring countries, including Malaysia and Singapore. The worsening conditions have raised concerns about exposure to polluted air, particularly among children and people with respiratory conditions.
Education authorities have also established thresholds for further school closures. Education Director-General Mohd Azam Ahmad said institutions under the Education Ministry in areas recording API readings above 180 must close from Friday, October 9. Institutions in areas where readings remain above 150 for three consecutive days must also close from Monday, October 12.
Affected institutions are required to continue lessons through home-based teaching and learning arrangements. Teachers and support staff have also been permitted to work from home during the closure period.
The measures follow concerns raised by Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim over the health and safety of students amid the worsening haze. Under Malaysia’s API classification, readings between 101 and 200 are considered unhealthy, readings between 201 and 300 are very unhealthy, and readings above 300 are hazardous.
Authorities will continue monitoring pollution levels, with further decisions depending on official readings and assessments. The immediate priority is to reduce students’ exposure to unhealthy air while ensuring lessons continue through home-based learning.
