83 schools in Sabah closed today and tomorrow

TAMPARULI: Six more primary and secondary schools in Sabah were closed until today due to the haze, an increase from the 77 schools announced on Sunday.
Acting Sabah Education Director Maimunah Suhaibul said all the schools are in the Beaufort, Papar, and Kuala Penyu districts.
"The total involves 53 schools in Beaufort, Papar (16) and Kuala Penyu (14) districts, with 22,782 students affected by the haze which has hit the districts," she told reporters after launching the Sabah state level 1Malaysia Reading Camp 2016 here today.
Maimunah said, if other schools in the three districts were also affected by the haze, the schools could decide to close them by giving prior notice to the district education office and the state education department.
She said, based on the Department of Environment report, the air pollution index in the three districts was at an very unhealthy 223 at 6am today.
"We will continue monitoring the haze, and if the API reading goes down tomorrow, the schools may be reopened the next day (April 6). We hope the haze will not continue as it affects the schooling session," she said.
Maimunah said so far, no schools in the Kota Kinabalu area have been closed due to the haze which is still at moderate level.
However, she said, if any students suffered asthma due to the haze, the schools had been urged to send them to the nearest hospital or clinic, and inform the parents. — Bernama