Palembang Air Pollution In Hazard Category, Students Asked To Study at Home

Illustration of teaching and learning activities in schools using masks when Karhutla in Riau (ANTARA)

PALEMBANG – Thick smoke still covers the city of Palembang, South Sumatra on Monday, October 2, with the air pollution standard index (ISPU) being in the dangerous category.

Observed from the ISPU website of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry on October 2, 2023 at around 09.00 a.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB), based on particulate meters or pm 2.5, Pelambang's air quality index reached 324 particles per million (ppm) in the dangerous category.

Bad air pollution due to forest and land fires (Karhutla), has made the Palembang City Government (Pemkot) decide to implement online learning for kindergarten, elementary and middle school students starting today, until the next regulations are determined.

The decision for the online school was made by the Acting Mayor of Palembang, Ratu Dewa at a meeting to discuss the impact of smoke, on September 30, 2023. She stated that the Air Pollution Standards (ISPU) index in Palembang City had entered the dangerous category.

From monitoring one of the Public Elementary Schools (SD) 144 Palembang, it was seen that the school was quiet on Monday morning. There are no student learning activities at school, only teachers and school staff.

Teacher at SDN 144 Palembang, Eko Siswanto, said that students starting this Monday will be learning online. They are temporarily studying from home in accordance with instructions from the Palembang City Government.

"Yes, it is true that in accordance with the direction from the education department and the city government, they instructed online learning. This is because of the impact of forest and land fires," said Eko.

Because the air conditions are dangerous, Eko appealed to all students to stay indoors and reduce activities outside the home because the air is bad due to the smoke haze. He asked children when they are at home, they should wear masks and always maintain their health.

Monitoring in Palembang City, the forest and land fire smoke covering the city is getting thicker around 22.00 p.m. Sunday night WIB until Monday morning around 09.00 WIB. This forest and land fire smoke is mixed with dust from fires.

The thick smoke can make your throat itchy, short of breath and sore eyes. Not only is the air quality deteriorating, the haze also results in limited visibility.