FIFTY-SEVEN schools in Kuala Langat and Klang will be closed tomorrow as the air pollution index (API) rises in these two areas this afternoon, the Selangor Education Department said

The schools reported to the department at 3pm today that they will close tomorrow after the API at the Johan Setia monitoring station breached the 200 mark indicating “very unhealthy” air quality.

As of 4pm, the API in Johan Setia reads 207, up from 191 at noon. 

The department said schools other parts of Selangor where the API was below 200 would be open tomorrow.

However, school authorities are reminded to suspend all outdoor activities if the API is in the 101-200 “unhealthy” range”.

Schools may also proceed to close if the API exceeds 200, and to report the closure to the department.

In Kuala Lumpur, meanwhile, 296 schools that were closed last Thursday and Friday will open tomorrow, the Federal Territories’ Education Department said in a separate statement.

It said the resumption of classes was based on falling API readings at the Batu Muda and Cheras air-monitoring stations.

At noon, the Batu Muda station recorded an API reading of 162, which fell to 147 at 4pm. The Cheras station recorded an API level of 138 at noon, and 136 at 4pm.

Most areas on the DOE’s API website this afternoon show slightly higher readings or else marginal improvements still within the unhealthy range, compared with noon.

An API reading of 0-50 indicates good air quality; 51-100, moderate; 101-200, unhealthy; 201-300, very unhealthy; and above 300, hazardous. – September 22, 2019.