Singapore keeps schools open as haze threatens O-level exam delays
What's next: O-level papers could be moved if next-day PSI tops 300, while A-level exams are less likely to change.
Singapore will keep schools open despite worsening haze, with O- and A-level candidates sitting exams in enclosed, air-conditioned venues fitted with air purifiers. Education Minister Desmond Lee said Oct. 16 that O-level papers may be rescheduled if the next-day Pollutant Standards Index forecast reaches the hazardous band above 300. A-level exams are less likely to be affected because the students are older, though officials will still weigh actual conditions. The main O-level written papers begin Oct. 19 and run through Nov. 10, while A-level practical exams are already under way ahead of written papers starting Nov. 2. Students who fall ill can seek special consideration through their schools.