Malaysian schools close again as haze returns
The haze crisis in Malaysia has worsened, forcing all 108 schools in Sarawak's Serian district to close after air pollution reached very unhealthy levels. Experts say smoke from Indonesian fires may persist until monsoon winds change, leaving schools in a cycle of closures and reopenings.
Serian's schools have operated in a stop-start pattern since mid-August, closing when air quality deteriorates and reopening when conditions improve. The most severe disruption occurred on September 4, when the API reached 518, prompting the King to approve a state of emergency for the district. Thursday's closures followed an API reading that breached 200 overnight, with the index still at 211 by noon.
Cloud-seeding operations and emergency measures brought only temporary relief, as smoke from Indonesian fires continues drifting across the region. Nine other stations in Sarawak recorded unhealthy air, though Serian was the only location nationwide in the "very unhealthy" category. Experts indicate the situation may persist until monsoon wind patterns shift.
The recurring closures could significantly disrupt students' education and family routines, with children repeatedly shifting between classroom and home-based learning. Prolonged exposure to very unhealthy air may also pose health risks, particularly for young pupils and those with respiratory conditions. The cycle of reopening and closing schools could strain parents who must arrange childcare at short notice, while teachers face challenges maintaining consistent lesson delivery across alternating formats.