Following Johor's decision to shut schools for two days, authorities in several other Malaysian states – including Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor where the capital city of Kuala Lumpur is situated – have also done the same as air quality continues to deteriorate.
Authorities have also ordered for schools across the country to shut if their area's air pollution readings exceed 180 on the country's Air Pollutant Index, BBC reports.
"I have asked all state education departments and district education offices to continue to monitor the haze situation and take immediate action if the situation requires it," Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said in a Facebook post late on Thursday.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called for a meeting of ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc to coordinate a regional response towards the haze.