PUBLISHED ONOctober 16, 2026 9:30 AMBYLaili AbdeenMinister for Education Desmond Lee said on Friday (Oct 16) that O-level papers may be rescheduled if the 24-hour PSI forecast reaches hazardous levels.
A 24-hour PSI forecast of 301 and above falls within the hazardous range.
However, those taking the A-level papers are generally less likely to be affected, said Lee at the Haze Press Conference on Friday.
"The students are older, but we will also take reference to actual circumstances in making decisions on whether they will continue," he pointed out.
He added that details of any rescheduling of O- and A-level papers to the earliest possible date will be publicly announced by the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB).
Schools will also inform students and parents directly if any national exam needs to be rescheduled.
Lee also warned against misinformation about school closures circulating on social media, saying such posts have caused confusion and anxiety.
"We request parents and students to refer only to updates from MOE’s official channels and Parents Gateway. More information about any changes in the scheduling of O- and A-level examinations will be available on the SEAB website," he said.
Lee said MOE will consider closing schools and moving younger students - preschool to secondary school - to home-based learning if the next day's 24-hour PSI forecast, issued the evening before, reaches the hazardous range.
Lee shared that MOE intends to minimise disruption for the students taking the national exams and has put in place measures to allow the exams to continue in the current haze situation.
Students taking the O- and A-level exams will sit for their papers in enclosed air-conditioned venues with air purifiers.
Those who are unwell and unable to take an exam should see a doctor, obtain a medical certificate and apply for special consideration through their schools. Lee added that schools will guide them on the necessary procedures.
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Grace Fu, also said during the press conference that "we can expect the haze to persist for some time".
However, the haze situation is expected to improve during the monsoon season in the next three to four weeks.
Fu also said that members of the public should consider both the 24-hour PSI reading and the one-hour PM 2.5 when planning for their daily activities, based on the time and specific region they are looking at.
The 24-hour PSI gives a picture of air quality over a longer period and is useful for assessing sustained exposure while the one-hour PM 2.5 provides an overview of the current conditions.
Her comments came as Singapore stepped up measures to help residents cope with worsening air quality, with haze shelters opened and N95 masks distributed to vulnerable groups since Wednesday.
Schools have begun scaling back outdoor activities as air quality deteriorates, while authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
As of 12pm on Friday, all outdoor and non air-con ActiveSG facilities across Singapore have also been closed as a precautionary measure due to the evolving haze situation.
Fu also assured Singaporeans that there are sufficient stocks of masks.
Air quality across Singapore worsened through Friday (Oct 16) morning, with hourly PM2.5 in the high band across the republic at 1pm.
Southern readings deteriorated the most, surging to 194µg/m3 at 12pm — the highest concentration reading in the country on Friday. It later dropped to 160µg/m3 at 1pm.
The hourly PM2.5 concentration readings are also in the high band in other parts of the country, with 169µg/m3 in central Singapore and 162µg/m3 in the eastern region.
Meanwhile, the 24-hour PSI remains in the unhealthy to low very unhealthy range, per forecast by the National Environment Agency on Thursday evening.
The central (226), eastern (205) and western (203) regions remained in the very unhealthy range, while PSI in southern Singapore had reached 185 at 1pm.
[[nid:747830]]
