School closures in Malaysia due to haze leave parents scrambling for childcare

KUALA LUMPUR – The announcement of school closures late on the night of Oct 8 caught many working parents off-guard, leaving them scrambling to arrange childcare while preparing for the next day.Among them was consultant Remus Tan, 51, from Ampang, who had to ensure his 16-year-old daughter was settled at home before heading to work.He said his daughter wanted to maintain a perfect school attendance record but instead ended up staying indoors with her books and piano to keep herself occupied.“I don’t take my daughter out unless it is really necessary. The fine particulate matter PM2.5 in the air is no joke,” he said.The Education Ministry had announced the temporary closure of schools in Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya due to the worsening haze.Freelance graphic artist Mazlan Shah, 33, from Shah Alam, said he had to take over childcare duties while his wife, a factory supervisor, continued working.His wife’s employer offered little flexibility beyond emergency leave, leaving Mazlan to adjust his freelance schedule to care for their 10-year-old son.“Not all parents have this option,” he said, suggesting that the government consider measures to help affected employees manage childcare during haze-related school closures.For homemaker Anis, 43, from Damansara Perdana, keeping her eight-year-old twin boys occupied in an apartment was a challenge.She took them to a shopping mall with an indoor playground so they could burn off energy without playing outdoors.She hopes the public would be more understanding and less judgemental of parents who have to care for active children who need opportunities to spend time outside the home.Meanwhile, food and beverage supplier Marcus Mah said employers should be understanding when staff face unexpected childcare difficulties.Mah, who operates five refrigerated lorries with eight employees in Melaka, said he allowed an employee to bring his son along on a delivery when the worker could not find suitable childcare.“If my staff really have no one to help with childcare, I will allow emergency leave.“I can take over the task myself, including making deliveries.“We have to be understanding and help our staff. They are the ones who help us run our business,” he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK