News / Local
Government dismisses social media reports on teachers
08 Aug 2021 at 07:23hrs | Views
THE Government has dismissed reports circulating on social media that teachers who are not fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will not be allowed to report for duty when schools open.
Last week social media was on overdrive with fake news that Government has said teachers who are not fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will not be allowed to report for duty when schools open. Schools closed on 4 June and were set to be opened on 28 June but re-opening was postponed because of rising cases of Covid-19.
However, the Government has announced that schools must start preparing for reopening. Director Advocacy and Communication in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Mr Taungana Ndoro dismissed the rumours and said no such directive has been issued.
"I can confirm that those are just rumours, the Government has not put the directive to ban unvaccinated teachers from going to school when schools open," he said.
Mr Ndoro said there was a special Covid-19 vaccination arrangement for teachers a long time ago as they were prioritised under Phase 2 of the vaccination programme.
"There was a special arrangement for teachers a long time ago when they were second priority after mass vaccination of essential services but some did not bother to be vaccinated and therefore we encourage those who were not vaccinated to go get vaccinated," he said.
Progressive Teachers Union Zimbabwe President Dr Takavafira Zhou said 7 500 teachers out of 140 000 teachers have been vaccinated leaving vaccination of teachers to be around 5,5 percent nationwide.
"As the union, our position on vaccination is that it must be voluntary rather than mandatory. Of the 140 000 teachers that are there nationwide about 7 500 teachers only have been vaccinated which is roughly 5,5 percent of the teachers who have been fully vaccinated," he said.
He encouraged the teachers to get vaccinated to ensure that there is smooth re-opening of schools.
"Estimates say four teachers are dying every week per province because of the deadly virus therefore I encourage teachers to go for vaccination before schools open to prevent quantum leap of fatalities in schools when schools open. We need 65 percent to be vaccinated to prevent the spread of Covid-19," he said.
Last week social media was on overdrive with fake news that Government has said teachers who are not fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will not be allowed to report for duty when schools open. Schools closed on 4 June and were set to be opened on 28 June but re-opening was postponed because of rising cases of Covid-19.
However, the Government has announced that schools must start preparing for reopening. Director Advocacy and Communication in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Mr Taungana Ndoro dismissed the rumours and said no such directive has been issued.
"I can confirm that those are just rumours, the Government has not put the directive to ban unvaccinated teachers from going to school when schools open," he said.
Mr Ndoro said there was a special Covid-19 vaccination arrangement for teachers a long time ago as they were prioritised under Phase 2 of the vaccination programme.
"There was a special arrangement for teachers a long time ago when they were second priority after mass vaccination of essential services but some did not bother to be vaccinated and therefore we encourage those who were not vaccinated to go get vaccinated," he said.
Progressive Teachers Union Zimbabwe President Dr Takavafira Zhou said 7 500 teachers out of 140 000 teachers have been vaccinated leaving vaccination of teachers to be around 5,5 percent nationwide.
"As the union, our position on vaccination is that it must be voluntary rather than mandatory. Of the 140 000 teachers that are there nationwide about 7 500 teachers only have been vaccinated which is roughly 5,5 percent of the teachers who have been fully vaccinated," he said.
He encouraged the teachers to get vaccinated to ensure that there is smooth re-opening of schools.
"Estimates say four teachers are dying every week per province because of the deadly virus therefore I encourage teachers to go for vaccination before schools open to prevent quantum leap of fatalities in schools when schools open. We need 65 percent to be vaccinated to prevent the spread of Covid-19," he said.
Source - sundaynews
