Cape Argus reports that with all primary school and special needs school learners to return to daily attendance and traditional timetables from 26 July, calls have mounted for teachers to be prioritised in the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out.

Progressive Principals’ Association spokesperson Anthea Adriaanse noted that teachers were classified as essential workers, yet not prioritised to receive the vaccine. “We are expected to resume full capacity at schools, making us vulnerable targets with the increased numbers of not only learners but parents, and having to deal with that on a daily basis would put us at greater risk,” said Adriaanse. Educators Union of SA’s André de Bruyn demanded the immediate vaccination of the front line working teachers, who who put their lives on the line on a daily basis. Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said they had more than 5,900 teachers and institution and office-based staff who were over the age of 60, and had requested all of their staff’s support and assistance in communicating the registration drive to their teachers and staff members. “While there has been much speculation regarding the education sector as a priority group for vaccination, there has not been any official confirmation regarding this,” Hammond reported. Equal Education Law Centre spokesperson Tad Khosa said all school employees should be prioritised for the simple reason that they have contact with learners that come from various communities.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sisonke Mlamla at Cape Argus
• Read too, Onderwysers moet voor in tou val vir inenting, at Marola Media

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page