Why Teachers and Staff May Soon Work from Home During Haze

With the haze situation constantly changing, the Ministry of Education has updated its rules to keep students and teachers safe. State education directors now have the power to decide whether schools should stay open or close based on the air quality in their specific areas .

Stricter rules for school closures

The Ministry has lowered the Air Pollutant Index (API) levels for school closures. Schools must now close if:

• The API reading hits 180 or higher.
• The API reading stays above 150 for three days in a row.

These changes were made to better protect the health of everyone in schools .

Decisions are now made at the state level

Instead of waiting for a nationwide order, state education directors will now lead local haze monitoring committees. They will track daily air quality and decide if schools should continue as normal or switch to home-based learning (PdPR) .

How to stay updated

If there are any changes to school operations, state directors will make an announcement:

• Before 2.45pm for schools affected over the weekend.
• Before 5.45pm on regular school days.

Parents are advised to keep a close eye on official announcements, as the air quality can change quickly depending on where you live .

Support for students and staff

If schools are closed, learning will continue from home through PdPR. The Ministry is also looking into allowing teachers and support staff to work from home during bad haze periods to ensure their safety .