The Ministry of Education and Sports has made clarifications concerning the mandatory vaccination of teachers throughout the country as the reopening of schools hangs in limbo.
The Ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Dennis Mugimba, while speaking on RX Radio’s Fatboy show, explained that mandatory COVID-19 vaccination will require teachers, support staff and college students to have at least received their first jab of the vaccine.
“By vaccinated, the Ministry refers to getting at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine and not necessarily the second or third,” explained Mugimba.
In addition he said, “We have also prioritized the vaccination of teaching and non-teaching staff and students at tertiary Institutions. These will receive their jabs at identified schools that will be designated as vaccination centers per district.”
However, Rosemary Nabukalu Jjuko the Headteacher of Landmark Primary School, said that the ideal vaccination schedule of teachers is being prioritized mostly in Kampala and little in other parts of Uganda for instance upcountry; which could risk teachers losing their jobs even when they are willing to get vaccinated.
“Teachers upcountry have been raising their concerns to me inquiring about where they should go for vaccination. They have been moving to all expected vaccination centres but in vain. So the Government needs to expand the vaccination drive to areas upcountry, and more so clearly mention the different venues where people can go for immunization,” Rosemary proposed.
However, Mr. Mugimba in turn assured heads of schools and teachers that every district in the country has identified at least two schools that will act as vaccination centers.
He added that most vaccination centres are situated in Kampala because of the high numbers of teachers and support teaching staff, saying that at least 130 schools from the Local Government have already been submitted to the Ministry to act as vaccination centers outside the country’s capital.
The ruckus about the mandatory vaccination of teachers ahead of schools reopening started earlier this week when the Education and Sports minister, Hon.Janet Kataha, informed the country that teachers will only be allowed to return to their jobs when fully vaccinated, emphasizing that those who refuse to comply will only be risking losing their jobs.
The Fatboy show is hosted by James Onen aka Fatboy and Olive Najjuma every weekday from 6am to 10am on RX Radio
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