Indonesian Schools Shift Online as Forest Fire Haze Worsens

Schools in Palembang, the capital of Indonesia's South Sumatra province, moved to online learning on Wednesday as thick haze from forest and peatland fires pushed air quality to hazardous levels. The emergency measure affects more than 250,000 students across 1,030 schools, from kindergarten through junior high.

Mayor Ratu Dewa stated that the decision prioritizes children's health, as the smoke poses risks of acute respiratory infections. Teachers have been advised to limit assignments during the remote learning period. The policy will be reviewed regularly, with in-person classes resuming once air quality improves.

The closures in Palembang are part of a broader crisis. Government data shows roughly 12,800 schools across Sumatra and Borneo remain shut due to dangerous air quality. Save the Children reports that over 1.4 million students have been pushed into online learning nationwide.

This year's fires have been exacerbated by an intensifying El Nino and a prolonged dry season. The toxic haze has spread regionally, reaching the Philippines and triggering an emergency declaration in a town in Malaysia's Sarawak state last week.

Satellite data from the Environment Ministry identified Central Kalimantan as the worst-hit area, with 2,459 hot spots detected. South Sumatra followed with 1,445, and West Kalimantan with 928. The Forestry Ministry recorded over 202,000 hectares of burned land between January and July, an area nearly three times the size of Singapore.

Firefighting efforts have been escalated, with aircraft support provided by several countries, including Japan, the United States, Russia, Australia, Canada, and Ukraine. Arshad Malik, Save the Children's regional director for Asia, called the situation a "child rights crisis," noting that children are bearing the consequences of the environmental disaster.