Forest fire: Two schools closed for two days

JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 26 (Bernama) -- The schooling sessions for Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tanjung Adang, Gelang Patah, near here, were postponed today and tomorrow following a 16-hectare (ha) forest fire near the schools since Wednesday.

State Education Department deputy director (School management) Ab Rahim Lamin said the postponement was implemented at the advise of the Johor Disaster Committee to ensure the safety of students, pupils, teachers and personnel at the two schools.

‘’To date, no student or pupil has been affected but we have conducted a check at both the schools and we feel the quantity of smoke can bring ill effect on their health.

‘’So, at the advice of the Department of Environment, Johor Bahru district officer and the Johor Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department we close the schools for two days,’’ he said when contacted here today.

Ab Rahim said that SMK Tanjung Adang which have 245 pupils, is located beside the location of the forest fire while SK Tanjung Adang, with 148 students, is located about 200 metres from the fire.

-- BERNAMA