Some schools still having outdoor activities despite haze

Headmasters should take care of the health of students, says deputy education minister.

KUALA SELANGOR: The education ministry has received reports that a few schools are still allowing students to engage in outdoor activities during the haze.

Its deputy minister, P. Kamalanathan, said headmasters should take care of the health of students by ensuring they refrained from any form of outdoor activities.

“I have received reports of one or two schools still conducting outdoor activities in the haze. If the API (Air Pollution Index) reaches 120, 130 or 150, do not have outdoor activities,” he said in a press conference after launching a replacement building for Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil (SJKT) Vageesar here today.

An API reading of 0 to 50 indicates good air quality; 51 to 100, moderate; 101 to 200, unhealthy; 201 to 300, very unhealthy and 300 and above, hazardous.

All schools in Peninsular Malaysia except Kelantan have been ordered by the ministry to close for two days, starting Monday due to the worsening haze.

In another development, Kamalanathan, who is also MIC central working committee member said MIC was against calls to abolish Tamil schools because the party believed unity could be fostered in these schools.

He said Tamil schools also produced students who succeeded in pursuing education at higher levels as nearly 50% of Indian students in institutions of higher learning were former Tamil school students.

Meanwhile, he said the ministry had allocated RM500,000 to SJKT Vageesar, built in 1936, for the construction of a replacement building with four classrooms.

In addition, Kamalanathan said Selangor would have three more Tamil schools in Bandar Mahkota, Cheras; Taman Sentosa, Klang and Petaling Jaya South 1, latest by next year.

“For the Taman Sentosa school, the tender process has begun and the ministry has already identified the contractor,” he said.

– BERNAMA