While it welcomes the inclusion of teachers and non-teaching personnel in the A4 vaccine category, a federation of teachers reminded the government that much still needs to be done in the fight against coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), in a statement issued Friday, April 16, welcomed the inclusion of education workers - at all levels - to the A4 priority category of the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan.
This, the group said, recognizes education workers as “frontliners” in essential industries. “Finally, the essential service of our education frontliners amid the pandemic is being recognized to merit health protection from the government,” ACT noted.
However, ACT maintained that much still is "needed to be done” especially in ensuring the delivery of safe, accessible, and quality education amid the pandemic even after teaching and non-teaching have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
“With the Filipino people, we continue to demand for the Duterte government to provide safe and effective anti-COVID 19 vaccines for all, hasten the processes, and ensure transparency in the procurement of enough vaccines and rollout of the program,” ACT said.
The group maintained “school safety should be ensured through the installation of necessary facilities and hiring of health personnel.” lGadgets, internet allowance, and other teaching and learning resources, ACT said, should also be provided.
“Health screening, mass testing, sick leave, and free treatment should be institutionalized so that our education frontliners can serve without fearing for themselves and their families,” ACT added.
In separate statements, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) also welcomed the latest decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to elevate the education workers in the COVID-19 vaccination priority list.
Read more: DepEd welcomes inclusion of basic education frontliners in A4 vaccination group, Good news! CHED says HEI frontliners, personnel now elevated in COVID-19 vax priority list