​Thembisa Shologu
The Department of Education (GDE) is extremely alarmed that some of its educators and support staff have refused to take the lifesaving COVID-19 vaccination jabs. The massive Education Sector Vaccination Rollout Programme started on 23 June 2021 and is expected to run until 8 July 202.
About 9113 employees in the Gauteng education sector, some with comorbidities did not want to take the Johnson & Johnson inoculation.
"We are very worried that nearly 10 000 of our personnel in the Gauteng education sector are, for one reason or the other, refusing to be vaccinated against this deadly virus which has wreaked havoc in our schools and communities by taking away our loved ones," MEC Panyaza Lesufi said.
So far, 53 154 educators and support staff, out of 124 934 personnel, have been vaccinated at 56 sector-dedicated sites across the province.
"It needs to be noted that the reluctance to vaccinate is a threat to government's efforts to normalize schooling during this disruptive pandemic, and effectively threatens the academic year in its entirety.
"The number of vaccinated personnel is expected to increase this week as the delays in the capturing of educators and support staff from School Governing Bodies (SGBs) and independent schools has been resolved," said MEC Lesufi.
Lesufi said educators were prioritized in this phase of the vaccine rollout and were expected to take advantage of the opportunity to avoid further disruptions and learning losses in the education sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"This would ensure that contact learning continues and that no learner is deprived of learning in a classroom with all the necessary curriculum resources needed.
"The refusal to vaccinate also impacts on the rollout reaching other affected sectors timeously in order for the country to develop 'herd immunity'," said Lesufi.
The department urges those who refuse to vaccinate to come forward and take this vaccination which millions across the world have taken.​