LIMPOPO – The basic education sector Covid-19 vaccination programme conducted in the province has exceeded all expectations.
Today, Limpopo MEC for Education Polly Boshielo expressed appreciation at how the vaccination process for basic education staff has unfolded in the province adding that an extra 12 037 people have been vaccinated, over and above the set target of 61 572.
The vaccination programme which rolled out on June 25 included teachers, administration and support staff appointed by the Limpopo Department of Education, teachers appointed by School Governing Bodies (SGB), and teachers in the independent schools sector. To date, a total of 73 609 staff within the basic education sector have been vaccinated.
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Boshielo said the demand for the vaccine picked up towards the end of the basic education sector’s vaccination drive. “Those vaccinated now include food handlers, janitors and support staff from independent schools,” she added.
The number of staff, additional to the set target, was catered for by additional doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine that were offered by the Department of Health, the MEC explained.
“We are elated by the positive response we have seen from our teachers and support staff. Many braved cold mornings and long queues to get their jabs, and this to me demonstrates the commitment they have towards normalisation of the sector.”
She thanked the staff for heeding the call to ‘drop all and vaccinate’.
Boshielo concluded that the staff members who could not be catered for during the last few days of the vaccination drive can still register and get vaccinated during the next phase of mass vaccinations.
