SINGAPORE: In preparation for future haze seasons, the Ministry of Education (MOE) will deploy air purifiers to all school classrooms, said Acting Minister for Education Ng Chee Meng on Wednesday (Jan 27).

In a written reply to a parliamentary question from MP Christopher de Souza, Mr Ng said MOE will send about 25,000 air purifiers to all primary and secondary schools in Singapore by July this year. Similarly, Voluntary Welfare Organisation-run special education schools and MOE Kindergartens will also have air purifiers, Mr Ng added.

Schools will be provided guidelines on the use of the air purifiers as well, he said.

The move comes after the completion of the haze management review, and the measures are to enhance the well-being of students and staff during a haze situation, said Mr Ng. The measures were introduced in consultation with the National Environment Agency and the Ministry of Health.

“This enhancement to haze management measures takes into account the unusually prolonged hazy season last year as a possible forerunner of future haze seasons,” he explained. The Pollutant Standards Index in Singapore reached unhealthy and hazardous levels in 2015, forcing primary and secondary schools to close for a day.