Teacher vaccinations kicked off today with MEC for Education, Panyaza Lesufi, being the first to get the jab.
Department of Basic Education Spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, said that it's all systems go for the vaccination programme and that officials within the department are being vaccinated as well:
We are also communicating with educators about what they need to do, what they need to bring and when they will be going to the different vaccination site in their own provinces.
Everyone who works in the school environment qualifies to get vaccinated but vaccinations are not compulsory but is highly encouraged.
On some teachers being sceptical and unhappy with brand of vaccine they're getting, Mhlanga says, "it is normal for people to be sceptical, it is not just in the basic education sector. You never get 100% coverage."
The department is said to have been receiving messages showing that a lot of school staff are due to get vaccinated. DBE is aiming to vaccinate almost 600 000 people within 10 days.
The difference between normal society and the sector is that we know who is going to be vaccinated, we know where they are. They go to work everyday at schools. We are going to schedule them so that during working hours, they will then be going to the vaccination site.
Lesufi received his vaccine at the Rabasotho Community Hall in Tembisa on Wednesday morning.
Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi is kickstarting the teachers’ #COVID19 vaccination program by receiving his jab at the Rabasotho Community Hall in Tembisa this morning. #eNCA #DStv403 #SouthAfricanMorning. pic.twitter.com/YoOofDRcfV
— eNCA (@eNCA) June 23, 2021
Angie Motshekga was present as the MEC got his jab and is elated that this day has come.
Western Cape received their vaccine doses on Tuesday and won't see a delay, as was rumoured.
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