Public school teachers receiving a jab of CoronaVac, the COVID-19 vaccine brand of Sinovac | INQUIRER PHOTO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd-7) is yet to receive formal orders from the national government requiring teaching and non-teaching personnel who will be deployed for the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
But the department is already aiming to inoculate 75 percent of their workforce before the last quarter of this year.
Salustiano Jimenez, director of DepEd-7, said they are waiting for the official orders from DepEd’s central office that mandates teachers and school personnel to be vaccinated as a condition in the resumption of in-person classes.
Instead, Jimenez told reporters in a teleconference on Tuesday, September 28 that they are encouraging their employees to get jabbed.
“Actually, we have no orders as to that (and) we will remain or stick to the policy saying it (vaccination) is not compulsory. But we strongly encourage them (to get vaccinated),” said Jimenez in Cebuano.
“But if DepEd, DOH (Department of Health) or Malacañang will say so, then we will abide with their orders accordingly,” he added.
The DepEd-7 top official also said they are targeting around 75 percent of the region’s teaching and non-teaching population, estimated at 67,000 to be vaccinated before October.
Around 55 percent to 60 percent of workers under DepEd-7 have already received COVID-19 vaccines, according to Salustiano.
“Our central office has not set a target but they strongly urge regional offices to get everyone vaccinated. So, in the part of Central Visayas, we are looking 75 percent of our personnel should be vaccinated by the end of 3rd quarter of this fiscal year,” he explained.
Last September 27, DepEd reversed their initial decision, making vaccination optional for teachers and personnel who will be assigned in face-to-face classes.
President Rodrigo Duterte has already approved the conduct of limited face-to-face classes in selected regions in the country.
For Central Visayas, DepEd-7 has initially identified at least 12 schools but these figures may change as the national government is yet to release the final list of schools that will be proceeding for the pilot implementation. /rcg
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