Senior Minister of State Goh Pei Ming told Parliament on Nov 3 that more than nine in 10 pre-schools have air-conditioning in some or all of their premises. But conventional air-con filters are generally ineffective at removing fine PM2.5 particles, he said. ECDA requires all pre-schools to have air purifiers covering key teaching and learning spaces used by children during haze periods.
Separately, Senior Minister of State for Education Janil Puthucheary said MOE will consider closing schools and switching to home-based learning, from pre-school to secondary level, if the next day's 24-hour PSI forecast is 301 or higher.
What the haze rules mean for your child's pre-school or school
- Pre-schools cancel all outdoor activities when the forecast exceeds 200, and stop indoor physical activities when the latest one-hour PM2.5 reading reaches the very high band.
- In schools, one-hour PM2.5 readings of 56 to 150 mean purifiers on and doors and windows closed; at 151 to 250, outdoor and strenuous indoor activities are avoided.
- Pre-schools must identify children with chronic lung or heart conditions or respiratory problems early, keep their medication accessible, and have a purifier-equipped room for unwell children.