Education minister cautions schools against outdoor activities due to hot weather

CYBERJAYA, March 1 — The Education Ministry has advised all schools against holding activities outside the classroom in view of the current hot weather.

Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said today the reminder was sent to schools in the middle of last month.

He said he was informed that many schools scheduled to hold their annual sports meet next week had postponed the event.

“The ministry does not encourage outdoor activities in hot weather. Parents must also encourage their children to drink plenty of water and take care of their health,” he told reporters after launching the Unesco Club and a Model United Nations (MUN) at Sekolah Seri Puteri here.

MUN or Model UN is an extra-curricular activity in which students role-play delegates to the United Nations and simulate UN committees.

The Meteorological Department has forecast that the dry spell currently experienced in western Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah is expected to prolong until the end of March.

Maszlee said there had been no cases of heat stroke among students so far.

Referring to the India-Pakistan tensions, he said the ministry had advised Malaysian students in India and Pakistan to keep in touch with the Malaysian high commissions in New Delhi and Islamabad for updates.

He also said that the high commissions and the Foreign Ministry had a standard operating procedure in the event the situation worsens. — Bernama