Malaysia’s Education Ministry (MOE) has stressed that decisions to close schools amid the ongoing haze crisis are not made unilaterally, but through a committee that considers input from relevant agencies.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek said the ministry had followed established guidelines and procedures before making any decisions.
She said the decisions were made after receiving guidance from the National Security Council (MKN), the Health Ministry (MOH) and the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry (NRES).
“We make these decisions collectively through a committee after considering all the circumstances,” she told reporters after officiating the PETAH KPM 2026 event on Monday.
Fadhlina added that the potential impact on pupils’ education must also be considered if school closures were to continue for an extended period.
She urged parents to follow updates and announcements from their respective District Education Offices (PPD) and State Education Departments (JPN) regarding school operations and pupils’ health.
“The government will continue to be guided by standard operating procedures (SOPs) and advice from the relevant agencies to ensure that the measures taken are appropriate for the current situation,” she said.
Asked what procedures the ministry would follow if the haze persisted until the end of the year, Fadhlina said it would continue monitoring conditions and seek expert advice before deciding whether schools should remain open or close.
“Decisions will be made from time to time based on existing SOPs, guidelines and assessments of the prevailing situation.
“NRES will assess conditions based on Air Pollutant Index (API) readings, while the Health Ministry will provide advice on health-related matters,” she said.
Earlier reports stated that all schools in Johor, along with schools under four District Education Offices in Selangor and the Federal Territories, were closed on Monday due to the persistent haze.
The affected districts were Bangsar Pudu, Hulu Langat, Gombak and Petaling Perdana.
Schools in Melaka, Penang, Putrajaya, Labuan, Perak, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Perlis, Sabah and Sarawak remained open as usual.
