By Gerrald Gilles
KUCHING: Parents do not have to send their children to school if they are concerned over their offsprings’ health when the Air Pollution Index (API) reading remains at a very unhealthy level.
As of 6pm yesterday, several primary schools and high schools in Kuching City as well as some schools in Sri Aman are expected to be closed today due to the unhealthy API readings.
At 7am yesterday, Kuching recorded an unhealthy API reading of 241 while Sri Aman an extremely unhealthy API reading of 248.
Samarahan and other areas also experienced unhealthy API levels.
Deputy Chief Registrar cum Deputy Director-General of Education (Educational Operations) Shaari Osman said it was alright for parents not to send their children to school but they had to inform the schools.
However, the State Education Department (JPN) yesterday issued an order that all schools be closed immediately if the API level exceeded 200.
JPN Sarawak said principals or teachers should notify the District Education Office (PPD) when closing their school.
“However, public examinations such as the Primary School Evaluation Test (UPSR) will continue with the supervision of on-duty examiners,” he said.
According to a circular issued by the Examination Board (LP), the examination will be postponed to a new date due if the API level exceeds 300.
Shaari added that if the haze only hit certain areas and involved a small number of candidates, the examinations would still run as scheduled.
He said candidates who were affected by the haze would be transferred to nearby examination centres.
“Preparation measures need to be planned to ensure candidates’ safety, security of question papers, exam travel, candidates’ presence at examination centres according to timetable of examinations, candidates’ welfare, collection, storage, submission of question papers and examination answer scripts,” he said.
He added that all schools had to submit their names, addresses and health records to their area supervisors and the State District Haze chairman to deal with possible haze.
“The headmasters under the instruction of the JPN director should transfer them to nearby centres for the examination,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He said the examination candidates should follow the television and radio broadcasts to keep up with the latest developments on the examination and haze.
