As the country commemorates National Teachers’ Month this September, an educators’ group called on the government to speed-up the vaccination of teachers and protect them against COVID-19.
“Our teachers have been working non-stop and vulnerable to the risks of COVID-19. They are frontliners in two wars —against the pandemic and to stem the effects of the education crisis— and they need all the protection they can get,” Philippine Educators Alliance for Community Empowerment (PEACE) Party-list President Marie Paz T. Abante said.
The Department of Education said that as of the end of July, around 200,000 or over 20 percent of teachers have so far been vaccinated. Most of these are in the National Capital Region.
Prioritizing teachers’ vaccination, especially with schools reopening this month amid a continued surge in cases due to the Delta variant, is “the best way to show our gratitude to our educators,” Abante added.
The Department of Education said that as of the end of July, around 200,000 or over 20 percent of teachers have so far been vaccinated. Most of these are in the National Capital Region.
The agency added that it wants an “institutional approach to the prioritization of teachers in the COVID-19 vaccination program,” and is currently in talks with the National Vaccine Operations Center regarding this.
The DepEd said it is also still recognizing the geographic prioritization of the vaccination program based on the number of COVID-19 cases.
“Our teachers have been working non-stop and vulnerable to the risks of COVID-19. They are frontliners in two wars —against the pandemic and to stem the effects of the education crisis— and they need all the protection they can get.”
The resumption of face-to-face also relies on the successful vaccination of all teachers, PEACE Partylist chairman for Committee on Community Programs, Bishop Rodolfo Juan, meanwhile said.
“We are among the last five countries still to resume face-to-face classes. Kaya dapat i-target talaga natin na mabakunahan na lahat ng guro,” Juan said.
“Mainam nga sana kung maging commitment ng pamahalaan na sa kasabay sa pagdiwang sa buong buwan ng National Teachers’ Month ang mass vaccination,” he added.
PEACE Party-list advocates for Filipino educators’ welfare, and to empower communities through values education and formation of students and families.
Its legislative agenda includes the passage of the Magna Carta for Educators, Magna Carta for Non-Formal Educators, Educators Family Living Wage Act, Tax Incentives and other Benefits for Educators and their Families, among others.
