KAJANG (The Star/Asia News Network) - Schools in districts of Jerantut, Pahang and Kuala Krai, Kelantan will close on Wednesday (April 20) and Thursday due to the heat.

Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the temperature in these two places had exceeded 37 deg C for the past 72 hours.

He was speaking to reporters after meeting vocational college and technical school students on Tuesday.

The Education Ministry in a subsequent statement, said this would involve 30 secondary and 89 primary schools.

"This affects 41,665 students comprising 38,849 in primary and secondary schools with the rest in pre-schools," said the statement.

The ministry said that only students would be excused from attending classes, with no replacement school day required, but school staff would still have to be in school to carry out other duties that do not involve teaching.