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Johor schools to reopen on Monday as haze eases after weeks of closures

All educational institutions in Malaysia's Johor state will resume classes on October 26, with mask-wearing and air quality checks in place.

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The Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail ibni Sultan Ibrahim, arrives at the swearing-in ceremony of the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong in January 2024.
The Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail ibni Sultan Ibrahim, arrives at the swearing-in ceremony of the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong in January 2024. Photo: EmpAhmadK, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Johor will reopen all of its educational institutions on Monday, October 26, ending weeks of haze-related closures in the Malaysian state, CNA and The Straits Times reported on Saturday.

Muhammad Naqib Md Ghazali, who chairs Johor's education and information committee, announced the move in a statement. "The decision takes into account the downward trend in Air Pollutant Index (API) readings across Johor over the past five days," he said. He added that a wind change starting on October 24, along with rising humidity and forecast rain, should ease the haze further.

The Straits Times said the call came after the Johor State Disaster Management Committee met to review current haze conditions and the findings of relevant agencies. Muhammad Naqib said the state had also considered the Johor Health Department's evaluation of health risks. According to the paper, Johor acted in line with a decree from Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.

Exams were another factor. Schools have year-end tests to run, and students are getting ready for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Malaysia's national secondary school examination. The Straits Times reported that the Johor Education Department will coordinate health and safety procedures once classes resume, among them mask-wearing and checks on school activities against API levels at the time. Muhammad Naqib said the state government and agencies would keep watching the haze closely and would use official channels to announce any changes or further steps.

The two outlets gave different dates for the start of the closures. CNA said schools first shut on October 8 and 9 and, after extensions, stayed closed until October 23. The Straits Times put the first closures on October 7 and 8, followed by extensions covering October 12 to 16 and then October 19 to 23. Citing earlier reporting by The Star, CNA said 1,198 schools and upwards of 617,000 students were affected.

CNA reported that Malaysia's education ministry changed its rules on October 15, so schools now close only when the API exceeds 200. Outdoor activities must stop once the index hits 100. Under the old rule, a school had to shut if readings topped 180 or sat above 150 for three days running.

Singapore's air worsened from early Saturday, CNA reported, with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index in the unhealthy band in each of the island's five regions. By 7pm, readings sat between 108 and 152, and the west recorded the poorest air.

According to CNA, fires burning in Sumatra and Kalimantan in Indonesia remain a source of smoke threatening air quality in both Singapore and Malaysia. Singapore's National Environment Agency expects showers this weekend and said winds changing direction from Sunday could cut the amount of haze drifting into the country.

Sources: CNA, Malaysia's Johor schools to reopen on Oct 26 after weeks of haze-related closures; The Straits Times, Haze in Malaysia: All Johor schools to reopen on Oct 26 as conditions improve.

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