Minister Motshekga announces vaccine roll-out plan for schools

The Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says distinctive measures will be put in place to ensure teachers are vaccinated in July to save the educational sector.

Minister Motshekga briefed members of the media on Saturday, 19 June 2021, in response to Covid-19’s third wave and its impact on schools.

During her address, Motshekga stressed that, the educational sector is unstable, due to the third wave that has caused immeasurable panic in schools.

The Minister announced that, a plan for the Covid-19 vaccine programme for the education sector has already been presented to the Council of Education Ministers (CEM).

The sector appealed to the cabinet and the Health Department to priorities schools.

After consulting with key stakeholders, various unions and associations, the Department of Basic Education reached an agreement on the approach to be taken amid vaccination programme.

“The vaccination programme will start on Wednesday, 23rd June 2021 until Thursday, 8th July 2021, a day before schools close to mark the end of second school term” – said the Minister.

The department projects to vaccinate 582 000, this includes public and private schools’ teachers, governors and administrators.

Motshekga further said an Electronic Vaccination Data System will capture details of vaccinated persons. 

The minister also stated that there will be a strict registration process to be followed, “A list of SGB appointees and independent school educators will be uploaded to the EVDS. On-site data caption will be required for individuals’ cell numbers and medical aid details.”

She continued, “For the next two weeks, we make the call to our school communities to ‘drop all and vaccinate!’ in order for us to successfully complete this programme, we will need to keep schools open.”

Minister Motshekga concluded her address by calling for the nation to join hands and vaccinate, “Vaccination is voluntary, but highly recommended so that everybody can be protected. Let us work together on this fight against Covid-19 in our spaces.”