With a national dark cloud over the coronavirus pandemic hanging over the country – the Covid-19 death toll has surpassed 59 000 and is edging to 1.9 million infections amidst the third-wave threats of the virus – hundreds of thousands of teachers across senior and primary schools in Westville, Reservoir Hills and Highway towns are looking forward to the government’s “silver lining” roll-out of vaccinations for all educators and school staffers this week.
The government’s massive drive to immunise 582 000 teachers and school staffers at 25 517 schools – across the greater Durban-eThekwini Region, KwaZulu-Natal and countrywide – began on Wednesday. The good news is that SGB-appointed educators, administration staff and cleaners – as well as those employed at private schools – will also get the jabs courtesy of the Department of Basic Education, while education officials will also be first in the queues. However, a deeply troubled head-of-state, President Cyril Ramaphosa, said SA has to strike a balance with the critical challenges of saving people’s lives and accelerating the sagging economy that has been hardest hit in human capital – and receding state resources and funding – hinting at a stricter lockdown soonest.
The National Coronavirus Command Council is likely to recommend a tighter lockdown of alert level four following Tuesday’s overnight infections of 11 000 and 297 Covid-related deaths, mainly in pandemic-plagued, third-wave hit Gauteng. Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, who has been at the frontline of the battle of safety for learners and teachers against coronavirus at schools, said: “The ongoing coronavirus pandemic took a huge toll on South Africa’s education system as 1 493 teachers succumbed to the disease this year (2020). All teachers will be vaccinated by 8 July. As a sector we had appealed to Cabinet and the Department of Health that teachers should be prioritised and we are excited that the vaccines have been secured – we have been working around the clock. We will be vaccinating irrespective of age and we will be vaccinating SGB-appointed teachers as well as teachers at private schools.’’ Professional teacher organisations and labour unions have welcomed the Department of Health’s focus on immunising up to half a million educators locally and across the country with a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine over the next fortnight.
Already, the over-60s concessions for senior citizens at the Moses Mabhida Stadium is running smoothly with a streamlining of the public health services, according to a site-visit by the Westville Weekly Gazette, including extending vaccination days to the weekends – 362 226 senior citizens and 127 501 health workers have been vaccinated in KZN averaging 13 000 per day since 18 June. Emma Dunk, chairperson of the school governing body at Westville Girls’ High School, said the vaccinations would make schools safer. “We are both extremely grateful and pleased by the recent announcement that school teachers and education sector workers will start to receive their Covid-19 single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine over the next two weeks. Vaccines are a vital tool in the fight against Covid-19. Vaccinating educators will reduce the risk of them becoming seriously ill.”
Education experts said the jabs for educators may not be a “silver bullet” to bring the virus completely under control at schools, but the government’s intervention could be used as a tool to combat it and create safer schools. Westville Senior Primary School SGB chairperson, Naeem Asvat, said after the vaccinations, teaching and learning could continue with minimal disruption to the school calendar. “Amidst the third wave, we welcome government’s roll-out of the vaccination programme to teachers and non-teachers as they are one of the most critical components of society and integral to the education system. We also thank government for recognising the education sector as an important stakeholder and to protect this sector.”
Richard Payne, on behalf of Westville Boys’ High School, said they were not prepared to comment at this stage. Lucinda Geldenhuys, principal of Berea West Preparatory School, and Patsy Pillay, principal of Westville Senior Primary School, were also approached for comment. However, the educator movements are monitoring the breakthrough for safer schools closely. Given the logistical nightmare of the vaccine roll-outs and details of sites and dates, education sources say the programme may only get underway on Friday and into the weekend. Also, the 20 000-member Educators’ Union of SA has called on government to shut down schools until the end of the immunisation. The SA Democratic Teachers’ Union KZN secretary, Nomarashiya Caluza, said they were aware of only one site. “We are concerned about a lack of information on the location of vaccination sites and are only aware of one site, uMlazi, south of Durban.’’
The National Professional Teachers’ Organisation (NAPTOSA) executive director, Basil Manuel, has called on all staff to be vaccinated. “While vaccination is voluntary for teachers over 40 and non-teaching staff above 40, NAPTOSA has urged all eligible education sector staff to embrace this opportunity to be vaccinated.’’ Meanwhile, KZN Department of Education said 21 new sites will be opened for vaccinations – including weekend facilities for off-duty educators to get their jabs. All employees will be given allocated sites and dates for vaccination. The Department of Health D-G Nicholas Crisp said most importantly, the (DBE) came up with a fast-moving mass vaccination plan for the staff at schools, which involved them driving employees to central points in districts. Vee Gani, chairperson of the Parents’ Association of KZN, has welcomed the start of the vaccination programme for the education sector, but reiterated that there were still some who do not wish to be vaccinated.
