KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 — Schools in Kedah and Perlis struck by a heatwave will close from tomorrow until Wednesday, the Education Ministry announced today.

The Education Ministry said the decision was made after temperatures in the northern region went above 37°C for more than three consecutive days.

“The closures are a precautionary measure to protect the health of students during the hot weather,” said the Education Ministry in a statement.

The government said the school closures would involve 853 schools and 413,786 students.

The Education Ministry also stressed that the closures would only involve students and said teachers and school staff were still required to go to work.

“The Education Ministry would also like to inform that the school closures in both states do not need to be replaced,” it said.

Local daily the New Sunday Times reported Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau as saying recently that the heatwave is expected to last until June instead of April as previously reported.

The heatwave has seen temperatures soaring to as high as 38.5°C in some areas, with the worst affected being Penang, Kedah and Perlis. Extremely low rainfall has also been recorded in Sabah and Sarawak.

El Niño is a dry weather phenomenon that leads to scorching weather across Asia and east Africa, but heavy rain and floods in South America.