OCTOBER 14 — Every time haze threatens Malaysia, we seem to rehearse the same routine. Air quality deteriorates, parents become anxious, authorities monitor the Air Pollutant Index (API), and schools eventually announce temporary closures. Teachers scramble to distribute assignments, parents reorganise their schedules, and students wonder whether they are enjoying an unexpected holiday.
But here is an uncomfortable question: After years of experiencing haze, why are we still treating school closures as educational surprises? Closing schools protects children from hazardous outdoor exposure. That decision must never be compromised. However, protecting children’s health and sustaining their education should not be competing priorities.
