Basic education minister Angie Motshekga, her deputy, Makgabo Reginah Mhaule, and teacher union leaders will be the faces of a public vaccination advocacy campaign encouraging educators to take the Covid-19 vaccine.
Basic education department director-general Mathanzima Mweli told the unions on Saturday that phase 2 of the national vaccination programme, which will also target teachers as essential workers, is set to start on May 17.
The department’s spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, confirmed the minister, her deputy and union leaders will be involved in the campaign.
The Government Employees’ Medical Scheme [GEMS], which administers a medical aid for state workers, including teachers, confirmed on Monday that it will be rolling out the vaccine for teachers.
Meanwhile, in an update to its members on Sunday, the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) said “there is a significant cohort [of teachers] not receptive to take the vaccine, which is an area of concern”.
“There is an intention to have a communications and advocacy campaign to address vaccine hesitancy.”
A survey involving principals, which was conducted by teacher unions on February 9, revealed that nationally 52% of headmasters agreed or strongly agreed they would take the vaccine when it is available, while 32% indicated they were not sure.
Sadtu spokesperson Nomusa Cembi welcomed moves to have teachers vaccinated, saying: “Once they are vaccinated, then perhaps more learners can be allowed to come back to school. It can assist in ensuring that effective learning is taking place because rotational teaching is not having the desired effect.”
We certainly welcome moves to have teachers vaccinated and we want to stress that we see them as part of the front-line workers. We will be conducting another survey, this time involving teachers, to gauge whether they would take the vaccine or not.
— Basil Manuel, executive director of the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa)
Basil Manuel, executive director of the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa), said unions collectively advocated for all education workers to be offered the vaccine. These groups include teachers at public and private schools, and those employed by governing bodies, school cleaners, general workers, administrative staff and those employed by teacher unions.
“We certainly welcome moves to have teachers vaccinated and we want to stress that we see them as part of the front-line workers. We will be conducting another survey, this time involving teachers, to gauge whether they would take the vaccine or not.”
Manuel said an advocacy campaign will be launched shortly to encourage teachers to register for vaccines.
Ben Machipi, general secretary of the Professional Educators’ Union (PEU), said the advocacy campaign will include messages on TV, radio and other media platforms.
“We were told that those principals who were unsure about whether they would take the vaccine were influenced by the negative publicity around the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine and its side effects, such as blood clots.”
The KwaZulu-Natal education department’s school health directorate has issued a “refusal to consent to vaccinate” form that those teachers who are not willing to take the vaccine will need to sign.
Dr Stanley Moloabi, principal officer at GEMS, said they will only pay for the professional fee and vaccination costs of teachers who are members.
“However, where GEMS is participating to assist in the vaccination of public service employees at the workplace-based vaccination sites, all public service employees, including teachers, will receive the vaccine irrespective of whether they are members of GEMS or not.”
Prof Mary Metcalfe, senior research associate at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), said: “I am working in support of the unions, the department of basic education and the Solidarity Fund to ensure we have a vibrant and effective advocacy campaign.”
She strongly believed teachers are a priority “as they work in congregate settings”.
“As risk correlates with age, children may be less at risk — teachers and support workers carry the risk. We need to invest in protecting all our teachers by offering vaccinations as soon as possible.”
Motshekga said earlier this year that 1,169 educators had died of Covid-19-related complications between December last year and February.
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