Haze-related school closures subject to joint ministry review, says Fadhlina

LocalPolitics
20 Oct 2026 • 6:15 PM MYT
Malay Mail
Malay Mail

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Malay Mail

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — Any decision to close schools amid the ongoing haze will be made jointly by the Education Ministry (MOE), Health Ministry (MOH) and the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry (NRES), based on their respective expertise, said Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek.

She said the decision would be based on air quality monitoring and health considerations to ensure students’ safety, while also considering the impact on learning loss if schools were closed for too long.

“From time to time, these three ministries will sit down and make a decision based on the expertise available, particularly at the MOH and NRES levels.

“We hope this will not be prolonged because we know the impact if school closures continue. So it requires a very careful approach and guidance before we make a decision,” she told reporters. 

She said this after the Anti-Bullying Literacy programme marking the Anti-Bullying Act 2026, held with the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department at the Teacher Education Institute (IPG), Bahasa Melayu Campus, today.

Also present was Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. — Bernama

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