Vaccine roll-out phase for education sector under way
This vaccination programme targeted 34 172 teachers, 7 667 non-teaching staff, 2 657 SGB employed teachers and ECD practitioners, and 1 742 teachers from independent schools.
Vaccinations for Mpumalanga teachers and education staff members have been launched. The launch was held at the KaNyamazane Education Development Centre (formerly the Ngwenya College) on Wednesday.
This vaccination programme targeted 34 172 teachers, 7 667 non-teaching staff, 2 657 SGB employed teachers and ECD practitioners, and 1 742 teachers from independent schools.
The deputy minister of basic education, Reginah Mhaule, said everyone has a valid and genuine reason to be prioritised for the vaccination. “I want to thank all the teacher unions for their leadership. They were the ones that were pushing; we thought it was not possible,” she explained.
The MEC for education, Bonakele Majuba, said they were truly grateful. “This exercise also confirms a step towards glory and hope of a better and stable teaching and learning environment, free of fear, anxiety and hopelessness.” He was the first person to receive the vaccination during the launch of this programme.
The MEC for health, Sasekane Manzini, said, “The government of the day took a decision of making the health and education of our communities a priority, hence the two departments being given an even bigger share of the budget in the country. We are starting with the vaccination of the educators today to ensure that as a country we attain the goals we had set for ourselves, of prioritising the education of our children,” she said.
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