The Department of Education (DepEd) should go on full blast in ensuring that all teachers are vaccinated against COVID-19 as it moves towards the gradual reopening of schools through limited face-to-face classes.
Senator Nancy Binay reiterated her call during the Senate Committee on Finance’s hearing on the proposed budget of the DepEd for 2022.
“I would like to reiterate my appeal, na kung pwede sana bilisan natin yung pagpapabakuna sa ating mga (let’s expedite the vaccination of our) teachers, as we move towards opening more face-to-face classes,” Binay told DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones during the hearing.
“Kami dito sa Senado, kung kailangan naming paulit ulit na tatawagan si (We, in the Senate, are ready to prod) Secretary (Carlito) Galvez to make the vaccine accessible to DepEd. We’ll be more than willing,” she reiterated.
Briones responded in the affirmative, saying that they have already asked teachers to go to their respective local government units (LGUs) to get inoculated.
The DepEd, she said, has also managed to upgrade the status of teachers in the list of the sectors that should be prioritized for the COVID-19 vaccination.
“Now that the government has approved the limited face-to-face, lalong minamadali yan (we are doing all we can to fast track the inoculation),” Briones said.
According to the DepEd, the pilot testing for face-to-face classes will start on November 15, 2021.
The assessment of the initial run would be conducted from November 15 to December 22, while the end of the pilot study is scheduled for January 31, 2022.
According to the DepEd, only 59, out of the 638 nominated schools have passed the risk assessment of the Department of Health (DOH) for the limited face-to-face classes.
Binay said she fully believes DepEd should target a full vaccination coverage of teachers as soon as possible; “not 30%, not 50%, but 100%.”
"DepEd has to find ways for teachers to have full access to available vaccines. I don't understand why they are not as persistent as the transport or tourism sector given the fact that teachers are considered part of the essential workforce,” she stressed.
“Baka kailangan natin magkaroon ng (We might need an) event where DepEd would gather our teachers tapos babakunahan sila sa (then they will get vaccinated in) school. Which is what other industries like the transport and tourism industries are doing. Why can't we have something like that for our teachers?” she pointed out.