KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 11 -- Schools in Sarawak have been ordered to immediately halt all outdoor activities involving pupils in areas where the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading exceeds 100.

Sarawak Education Department director Omar Mahli said district education offices and educational institutions under the department had been reminded to prioritise the welfare, health and safety of pupils amid hot weather and haze, Utusan Malaysia reported today.

He said schools should postpone all outdoor activities if the weather was excessively hot and monitor activities that could expose pupils to such conditions to prevent their health from being affected.

"For areas recording API readings above 100, all outdoor activities involving pupils must be...