KUCHING, Sept 27 — A total of 533 primary and secondary schools in three divisions in Sarawak will close tomorrow due to the worsening haze situation.

The Sarawak Education Department, in a statement today, said the closure of the schools in the Kuching, Samarahan and Sri Aman divisions would affect 113,755 primary school students and 86,623 secondary students.

The closure of the schools in the Kuching division will affect 265 primary and secondary schools in the Kuching, Bau, Lundu and Padawan districts, involving ,129,832 students.

In the Samarahan division, involving the districts of Samarahan, Serian and Simunjan, it involves the closure of 198 primary and secondary schools and affect 54,976 students.

The remaining 70 schools, involving 14,359 students, are in the Sri Aman and Lubok Antu districts in the Sri Aman division.

As on noon today, the Air Pollutant Index (APUI) reading in Sri Aman was 190, Samarahan (145) and Kuching (137).

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

In Selangor, 931 primary and secondary schools, involving 916,223 students, in 10 districts in the state will close tomorrow because of the worsening haze.

State Education Director Zainuren Mohd Noor told Bernama this followed an instruction from the Education Ministry and the matter had been conveyed to the administrators of the schools concerned.

The schools are in Klang (131); Kuala Selangor (92); Kuala Langat (72); Hulu Langat (127); Hulu Selangor (68); Sabak Bernam (64); Gombak (104); Sepang (51); Petaling Perdana (136); and Petaling Utama (86), and will involve 62,075 teachers. — Bernama