The Sarawak Education Department’s Oct 25 statement, reported by Bernama, covers one secondary and 26 primary schools. Teachers and support staff may work from home during the closure.

The instruction also extends to primary and secondary schools in districts recording Air Pollutant Index readings above 200 after the statement. It is not a blanket closure of every school in Sarawak. Institutions are to monitor readings through the Department of Environment’s APIMS portal.

Parents who are concerned about the haze may keep their children at home, provided they inform the school. For families with SPM candidates, the continued face-to-face arrangement is the important exception to check with their school.

Schools can prepare to reopen when readings show a downward trend below 200. That condition is not an announcement that Tebedu schools will automatically reopen on Tuesday.