TUs demand vaccination of teachers, non-academic staff before school reopening

The government should vaccinate all school workers before reopening schools, Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) General Secretary, Joseph Stalin said yesterday. Unless teachers and non-academic workers were vaccinated, there was a possibility of a super spreader situation in schools.

Stalin said that prior to school reopening, the government had decided to establish ‘study centres,’ to provide online facilities to students who did not otherwise have access to them, under the guidance of two teachers each.

“Teacher unions discussed the matter and we have decided not to work at those centres, unless teachers are vaccinated. We believe that this initiative will have disastrous consequences because most teachers are not vaccinated and none of the students is vaccinated. These centres may boost the transmission of the virus.”

The CTU General Secretary said that schools should reopen as soon as possible because students had missed almost two years of studies. Unions had requested the Ministry, several times, to vaccinate principals, teachers, and nonacademic staff of schools, Stalin said.

“There are around 270,000 people in the mentioned categories. Schools are places where it is hard to maintain physical distancing. Vaccination and wearing masks probably are the best ways to ensure there are no super spreader situations around schools.”

Education Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris has gone on record as saying that all schools with fewer than 100 student would reopen first after their teachers are vaccinated against Covid-19.