Schools could close, O-Level papers rescheduled if PSI forecast turns hazardous: Desmond Lee李德斯蒙德：如果PSI预测变为危险级别，学校可能关闭，O水准考试可能重新安排。
Minister for Education Desmond Lee said on Friday (Oct 16) that O-Level papers may be rescheduled if the 24-hour PSI forecast reaches hazardous levels.A 24-hour PSI forecast of 301 and above falls within the hazardous range.However, those taking the A-level papers are generally less likely to be affected, said Lee at the Haze Press Conference on Friday."The students are older,...
Minister for Education Desmond Lee said on Friday (Oct 16) that O-Level papers may be rescheduled if the 24-hour PSI forecast reaches hazardous levels.
A 24-hour PSI forecast of 301 and above falls within the hazardous range.
However, those taking the A-level papers are generally less likely to be affected, said Lee at the Haze Press Conference on Friday.
"The students are older, but we will also take reference to actual circumstances in making decisions on whether they will continue," he pointed out.
He added that details of any rescheduling of O- and A-Level papers to the earliest possible date will be publicly announced by the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB).
Schools will also inform students and parents directly if any national exam needs to be rescheduled.
Lee also warned against misinformation about school closures circulating on social media, saying such posts have caused confusion and anxiety.
"We request parents and students to refer only to updates from MOE’s official channels and Parents Gateway. More information about any changes in the scheduling of O- and A-Level examinations will be available on the SEAB website," he said.
Lee said MOE will consider closing schools and moving younger students from preschool to secondary school to home-based learning if the next day's 24-hour PSI forecast, issued the evening before, reaches the hazardous range.
Lee shared that MOE intends to minimise disruption for the students taking the national exams and has put in place measures to allow the exams to continue in the current haze situation.
Students taking the O- and A-Level exams will sit for their papers in enclosed air-conditioned venues with air purifiers.
Those who are unwell and unable to take an exam should see a doctor, obtain a medical certificate and apply for special consideration through their schools. Lee added that schools will guide them on the necessary procedures.
Haze to persist for some time: Grace Fu
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Grace Fu, also said during the press conference that "we can expect the haze to persist for some time".
However, the haze situation is expected to improve during the moonsoon season in the next three to four weeks.
Fu also said that members of the public should consider both the 24 hour PSI reading and the one hour PM 2.5 when planning for their daily activities, based on the time and specific region they are looking at.
The 24 hour PSI gives a picture of air quality over a longer period and is useful for assessing sustained exposure while the one hour PM 2.5 provides an overview of the current conditions.
Her comments came as Singapore stepped up measures to help residents cope with worsening air quality, with haze shelters set to open and N95 masks being distributed to vulnerable groups since Wednesday.
Schools scale back outdoor activities
Schools have begun scaling back outdoor activities as air quality deteriorates, while authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
As of 12pm on Friday, all outdoor and non-aircon ActiveSG facilities across Singapore have also been closed as a precautionary measure due to the evolving haze situation.
Fu also assured Singaporeans that there are sufficient stocks of masks.
Air quality across Singapore worsened through Friday (Oct 16) morning, with hourly PM2.5 in the high-band across the Republic at 1pm.
Southern readings deteriorated the most, surging to 194µg/m3 at 12pm — the highest concentration reading in the country on Friday, for now. It later dropped to 160µg/m3 at 1pm.
The hourly PM2.5 concentration readings are also in the high-band in other parts of the country, with 169µg/m3 in central Singapore and 162µg/m3 in the eastern region.
Meanwhile, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) remains in the unhealthy to low-very unhealthy range, per forecast by the National Environment Agency on Thursday evening.
The central (226), eastern (205) and western (203) regions remain in the very unhealthy range, while PSI in southern Singapore has reached 185 at 1pm.
laili.abdeen@asiaone.com
教育部长李智陞周五（10月16日）表示，如果24小时PSI预报达到危险级别，O水准考试可能会重新安排。
24 小时 PSI 预报值达到 301 及以上即属于危险范围。
然而，李在周五的雾霾新闻发布会上表示，参加A水准考试的学生通常不太可能受到影响。
“这些学生年龄较大，但我们也会参考实际情况来决定他们是否继续学习，”他指出。
他还补充说，新加坡考试与评估局（SEAB）将公开宣布O水准和A水准考试最早可能重新安排的日期。
如果需要重新安排任何全国性考试，学校也会直接通知学生和家长。
李还警告说，社交媒体上流传着有关学校停课的错误信息，称此类帖子造成了混乱和焦虑。
他说：“我们要求家长和学生仅参考教育部官方渠道和家长门户网站发布的最新消息。有关O水准和A水准考试时间安排的任何变更，更多信息将在新加坡考试与评鉴局（SEAB）网站上公布。”
李表示，如果第二天24小时PSI预报（前一天晚上发布）达到危险级别，教育部将考虑关闭学校，并将学前班到中学阶段的低年级学生转移到家中进行学习。
李表示，教育部打算尽量减少对参加全国性考试的学生的影响，并已采取措施，确保考试在目前的雾霾情况下能够继续进行。
参加 O-Level 和 A-Level 考试的学生将在配备空气净化器的封闭式空调考场参加考试。
身体不适无法参加考试的学生应就医，取得医疗证明，并通过所在学校申请特殊照顾。李补充说，学校会指导他们完成必要的程序。
雾霾将持续一段时间：傅慧玲
永续及环境部长傅海燕在新闻发布会上也表示，“预计雾霾还会持续一段时间”。
不过，预计未来三到四周的季风季节期间，雾霾情况将会好转。
傅女士还表示，公众在规划日常活动时，应根据时间和具体地区，同时考虑 24 小时 PSI 读数和 1 小时 PM2.5 读数。
24 小时 PSI 值反映了较长时间内的空气质量状况，可用于评估持续暴露情况，而 1 小时 PM2.5 值则提供了当前状况的概览。
在她发表这番言论之际，新加坡加大了帮助居民应对日益恶化的空气质量的措施，雾霾避难所即将开放，并且从周三开始向弱势群体分发N95口罩。
学校缩减户外活动
随着空气质量恶化，学校已开始缩减户外活动，当局也继续密切监测情况。
截至周五中午 12 点，由于雾霾情况不断变化，新加坡所有室外和非空调 ActiveSG 设施也已关闭，作为一项预防措施。
傅海燕也向新加坡民众保证，口罩库存充足。
新加坡的空气质量在周五（10 月 16 日）上午持续恶化，下午 1 点，全国 PM2.5 浓度均处于高位。
南部地区的读数恶化最为严重，中午12点飙升至194微克/立方米——这是周五全国目前为止的最高浓度读数。随后，下午1点降至160微克/立方米。
该国其他地区的PM2.5小时浓度读数也处于高位，新加坡中部地区为169µg/m3，东部地区为162µg/m3。
与此同时，根据国家环境局周四晚间的预测，24 小时污染物标准指数 (PSI) 仍处于不健康至轻微至非常不健康的范围内。
中部（226）、东部（205）和西部（203）地区仍处于非常不健康的范围内，而新加坡南部的 PSI 在下午 1 点已达到 185。
laili.abdeen@asiaone.com