Severe smoke across six provinces disrupts schools as air pollution reaches hazardous levels.

Wildfire haze is disrupting daily life in Indonesia, forcing around 1.43 million students across six provinces to shift from classrooms to online learning.

1.43 Million Students Move Online
Around 1.43 million students from 12,874 schools across six Indonesian provinces had shifted to remote learning as of September 2 because of poor air quality caused by forest and land fires. The affected provinces are Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan, according to Education Ministry official Gogot Suharwoto.

West Kalimantan Faces Major Disruption
West Kalimantan accounts for about 1.1 million affected students and has recorded the most extensive wildfires among the affected provinces so far this year. Gogot said the remote learning period would run from August 31 through September 4, with conditions evaluated every three days.

Air Pollution Reaches Hazardous Levels
Indonesia uses the Air Pollution Standard Index to determine when schools should move online, with remote learning required when readings exceed 200. On September 2, a majority of areas in Kalimantan recorded readings above 200, while Southeast Pontianak in West Kalimantan recorded the highest reading at 1,023, far above the hazardous threshold of 300.

Schools Given Greater Flexibility
School principals have been authorized to move classes online immediately when local conditions become dangerous. The measure allows schools to respond more quickly when local air quality deteriorates.

Nearly 200,000 Hectares Burned
The disruption comes amid a broader environmental crisis. Forestry Ministry data showed that approximately 200,000 hectares of land burned during the first seven months of 2026, with about 73,310 hectares affected across the six priority provinces. The fires have also produced widespread haze, with poor air quality disrupting education across the six affected provinces.

The shift of more than one million Indonesian students to remote learning shows how forest and land fires can quickly affect education, health, and daily life. For Indonesians, the crisis highlights the need for stronger prevention and fire control, while Singaporeans are also likely to watch developments closely because severe haze from Sumatra and Kalimantan can affect air quality across the region.

Sources: Asia One (2026) , Reuters (2026)

Keywords: Indonesia Wildfire Haze, Indonesian Students, Remote Learning Indonesia, West Kalimantan Fires, Air Pollution Indonesia, Forest And Land Fires