Preschools to remain open even if schools close when haze hits hazardous level: Desmond Lee

O-Level exams may also be rescheduled if schools close, says the education minister.

View of the haze from Mount Faber on Oct 14, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)

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SINGAPORE: Preschools will remain open even if schools close in the event of 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings reaching hazardous levels, said Education Minister Desmond Lee on Friday (Oct 16).

Speaking at a press conference to address the haze situation, Mr Lee said that while haze forecasts help schools plan and give parents and students advance notice, school leaders will also take into account the hourly PM2.5 readings in managing school-based activities.

If the 24-hour PSI forecast for the next day is 300 and above, the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will strongly encourage parents and guardians to keep their infants and young children at home.

MOE will also consider closing schools and transitioning to home-based learning for younger students from preschool to secondary school.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less “We understand that this can be challenging for parents who cannot work from home or who cannot find alternative arrangements for their children,” said Mr Lee. This is why MOE kindergartens, MOE Kindergarden Care and all ECDA licensed preschools will remain open even if schools close, said Mr Lee. Special education schools, as well as student care centres in primary and secondary schools, will also be open to take care of students who do not have alternative care arrangements. On Oct 9, the task force had said that MOE would consider closing schools when the air quality forecast for the next day is in the hazardous range, with the 24-hour PSI exceeding 300. "In making any decision to close schools, MOE is mindful of the disruptions to families’ care arrangements for their children, and will take into consideration all available information, health advisories and forecasts from the relevant authorities regarding the next day’s haze situation," it said at the time. Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu and Acting Minister for Manpower Jasmin Lau were also on the panel on Friday. The task force was convened last week, led by the National Environment Agency and comprising 28 government agencies. Singapore has now endured nearly two weeks of unhealthy air quality in at least one part of the island. The last time all five regions recorded moderate air quality at the same time was at midnight on Oct 5, when 24-hour PSI readings ranged from 77 to 100. Friday also marks six weeks since Singapore recorded its first unhealthy 24-hour PSI reading of the year. Central Singapore crossed into the very unhealthy band at midnight on Friday, and its 24-hour PSI climbed to 229 at 3pm, a new high for the year.

“We understand that this can be challenging for parents who cannot work from home or who cannot find alternative arrangements for their children,” said Mr Lee.

This is why MOE kindergartens, MOE Kindergarden Care and all ECDA licensed preschools will remain open even if schools close, said Mr Lee.

Special education schools, as well as student care centres in primary and secondary schools, will also be open to take care of students who do not have alternative care arrangements.

On Oct 9, the task force had said that MOE would consider closing schools when the air quality forecast for the next day is in the hazardous range, with the 24-hour PSI exceeding 300.

"In making any decision to close schools, MOE is mindful of the disruptions to families’ care arrangements for their children, and will take into consideration all available information, health advisories and forecasts from the relevant authorities regarding the next day’s haze situation," it said at the time.

Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu and Acting Minister for Manpower Jasmin Lau were also on the panel on Friday. The task force was convened last week, led by the National Environment Agency and comprising 28 government agencies.

Singapore has now endured nearly two weeks of unhealthy air quality in at least one part of the island.

The last time all five regions recorded moderate air quality at the same time was at midnight on Oct 5, when 24-hour PSI readings ranged from 77 to 100.

Friday also marks six weeks since Singapore recorded its first unhealthy 24-hour PSI reading of the year.

Central Singapore crossed into the very unhealthy band at midnight on Friday, and its 24-hour PSI climbed to 229 at 3pm, a new high for the year.

On Friday, Ms Fu said that Singapore should be prepared for the haze to last for some time, stressing that the situation is fluid.

“Depending on the weather, we can expect air quality to fluctuate, including the possibility of reaching hazardous level,” she added.

Towards the inter-monsoon period at the end of October or early November, or in about three to four weeks, the government expects the situation to improve, said Ms Fu. Lighter winds around Singapore would then be less likely to bring haze from Sumatra or Kalimantan.

When the northeast monsoon brings wind from the north to northeast around early December, the haze will go in a direction away from Singapore, she said.

The O-Level and A-Level examinations are scheduled throughout October and November. Addressing concerns about the haze affecting them, Mr Lee said: “I know that students have been working very hard to prepare for their national exams and we want to minimise disruption for them.”

Should the 24-hour PSI forecast reach hazardous levels, MOE will consider rescheduling O-Level papers in line with the health advisory for younger students, said the education minister.

The A-Level papers are “generally less likely to be affected” because the students are older, he added.

“We will also take reference from forecasts, as well as actual ground circumstances in making decisions on whether they will continue,” he said, noting that any rescheduling of O- and A-Level papers to the earliest practicable date will be announced by the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB).

If students who are taking the national exams are unwell and unable to take or continue with an exam, they should see a doctor, obtain a medical certificate and apply for special consideration through their schools, said Mr Lee.

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教育部长表示，如果学校关闭，O水准考试也可能会重新安排时间。

2026年10月14日，从花柏山看到的雾霾景象。（图片：CNA/Jeremy Long）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

新加坡：教育部长李智陞周五（10月16日）表示，即使学校因24小时污染物标准指数（PSI）读数达到危险水平而关闭，幼儿园也将继续开放。

李先生在新闻发布会上谈及雾霾情况时表示，虽然雾霾预报有助于学校制定计划并提前通知家长和学生，但学校领导在管理学校活动时也会考虑每小时的 PM2.5 读数。

如果第二天的 24 小时 PSI 预报值为 300 及以上，教育部、社会及家庭发展部和幼儿培育署将强烈建议家长和监护人让婴幼儿待在家中。

教育部还将考虑关闭学校，让从学前班到中学的低年级学生过渡到居家学习。

CNA游戏 猜词游戏 逐行破解单词 流行词游戏 用给定的字母组成单词 迷你数独 小谜题，脑力挑战 迷你填字游戏 小方格，大挑战 单词搜索 尽可能多地找出单词 显示更多 显示更少 “我们理解，对于那些无法在家工作或无法为孩子找到其他安排的家长来说，这可能会带来挑战，”李先生说。因此，李先生表示，即使学校关闭，教育部幼儿园、教育部幼儿园托管中心和所有幼儿培育署授权的学前班也将继续开放。特殊教育学校以及中小学的学生托管中心也将开放，照顾那些没有其他托管安排的学生。 10月9日，该工作组曾表示，如果次日空气质量预报显示空气质量处于危险级别，24小时空气污染指数（PSI）超过300，教育部将考虑关闭学校。当时，教育部表示：“在做出任何关闭学校的决定时，教育部会考虑到这会对家庭的子女照护安排造成干扰，并将考虑所有可用的信息、健康建议以及相关部门对次日雾霾情况的预测。” 永续及环境部长傅海燕和人力部代部长刘嘉玲也于周五出席了该工作组会议。该工作组由国家环境局牵头，28个政府机构组成，于上周成立。新加坡至少部分地区已连续近两周空气质量不佳。新加坡五个地区上一次同时录得中等空气质量是在10月5日午夜，当时24小时空气污染指数（PSI）介于77至100之间。周五也是新加坡今年首次录得不健康24小时空气污染指数的六周后。新加坡中部地区于周五午夜进入“非常不健康”级别，其24小时空气污染指数在下午3点攀升至229，创下年内新高。

李先生说：“我们理解，对于无法在家工作或无法为孩子找到其他安排的父母来说，这可能会是一个挑战。”

李先生表示，这就是为什么即使学校关闭，教育部幼儿园、教育部幼儿园托管班和所有幼儿培育署授权的学前班也将继续开放的原因。

特殊教育学校以及中小学的学生照护中心也将开放，以照顾没有其他照护安排的学生。

10 月 9 日，工作组曾表示，如果第二天的空气质量预报处于危险范围，24 小时 PSI 超过 300，教育部将考虑关闭学校。

教育部当时表示：“在决定是否关闭学校时，教育部会考虑到这会对家庭照顾孩子的安排造成干扰，并将考虑所有可用的信息、卫生建议以及相关部门对第二天雾霾情况的预测。”

永续及环境部长傅海燕和人力部署理部长刘嘉玲也于周五出席了该小组会议。该工作组由国家环境局牵头，上周成立，成员包括28个政府机构。

新加坡至少有一部分地区已经连续近两周空气质量不佳。

上一次所有五个地区同时记录到中等空气质量是在 10 月 5 日午夜，当时 24 小时 PSI 读数在 77 到 100 之间。

周五也是新加坡今年首次录得不健康的 24 小时 PSI 读数的第六周。

新加坡中部地区于周五午夜进入了非常不健康的空气质量指数区间，其 24 小时空气质量指数在下午 3 点攀升至 229，创下今年新高。

周五，傅女士表示，新加坡应该做好雾霾持续一段时间的准备，并强调情况瞬息万变。

她补充说：“根据天气情况，空气质量可能会波动，甚至有可能达到危险水平。”

傅女士表示，政府预计在10月底或11月初的季风间歇期，也就是大约三到四周后，情况会有所好转。届时，新加坡附近风力减弱，来自苏门答腊或加里曼丹的雾霾就不太可能再来了。

她说，每年 12 月初东北季风带来北风转东北风时，雾霾就会朝远离新加坡的方向飘去。

O水准和A水准考试安排在10月和11月举行。针对雾霾可能影响考试的问题，李先生表示：“我知道学生们一直在努力备考，我们希望尽可能减少对他们的影响。”

教育部长表示，如果24小时PSI预报达到危险级别，教育部将考虑根据针对低年级学生的健康建议重新安排O水准考试。

他还补充说，A-Level考试“通常不太可能受到影响”，因为学生年龄较大。

“我们还会参考预测以及实际情况来决定是否继续举行考试，”他表示，并指出，O水准和A水准考试的任何重新安排都将由新加坡考试与评估局（SEAB）宣布，争取在最早可行的日期举行。

李先生说，如果参加全国统考的学生身体不适，无法参加或继续考试，他们应该去看医生，取得医疗证明，并通过学校申请特殊照顾。

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