90.5% of teachers fully vaccinated

Some 90.5% of teachers in the country had been fully vaccinated as of Sept 20, Education Minister Radzi Jidin said in his winding-up debate on the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He also said that 85.8% of administrative staff and 79.2% of support staff have completed their vaccination.

“Currently 7.2% of teachers, 11.4% of administrators and 15.1% of support staff are awaiting their second dose,” he said.

He added that teachers who have yet to complete their vaccination or who have not been vaccinated will not be allowed to teach face-to-face classes when school reopens in October.

“The education ministry always works closely with the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force to ensure that the vaccination rate among teachers, administrators and support staff continues to improve,” he said.

“This is to establish an ecosystem where those who are with the students in school have been fully vaccinated.”

Radzi previously said some 2,500 teachers who refused to be vaccinated would be given other assignments when schools reopen.

He said this was to ensure that the school ecosystem would be safe for students.

Putrajaya began vaccinating students aged 12 and above on Sept 20 under the newest phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.

The government is aiming to fully vaccinate 80% of students before the 2022 school session begins.

The programme for teenagers is expected to cover 3.2 million students.