Give us priority vaccination slots

Care for the kids: A daycare and pre-school teacher spraying hand sanitiser for one of her students at the centre in Island Park, Penang.

GEORGE TOWN: Pre-school and daycare centre teachers are in a limbo as they are needed to help working parents look after their children but the fear of getting Covid-19 looms over them daily.

Malaysian Kindergarten Teachers Association president Sally Ng said teachers, when conducting pre-school activities, inevitably have physical contact with the children.

“To ensure the safety of the children, priority should be given to vaccinate operators, teachers and teaching assistants so that schools can remain open and safe.

“Some of the teachers and staff have been vaccinated because they managed to register for the AstraZeneca vaccine but we do not have data on how many of them have received the jabs.

“Parents rely on safe, affordable pre-schools or nurseries to be able to work and the teachers and staff need to be kept safe as well,” she said.

Ng said in Selangor, it had been arranged by the Early Childhood Care and Education Council and the state government also assists active members to get a vaccination slot.

“Our Penang branch has sent an email to the Chief Minister about our woes but have yet to hear from him.

“According to a report, a total of 5,703 teachers and caregivers of pre-schools and nurseries in Sarawak have been given priority to receive the Covid-19 vaccine in April this year.

“In Penang, there are around 600 of them. Vaccinating pre-school operators, teachers and caregivers is a crucial step towards putting education back on track,” she said.

Pre-school principal Vivienne Lim said there were worries from both ends of the spectrum.

“Parents have their worries and usually inquire if the teachers and staff have been vaccinated.

“For us, since the kids are either children of frontliners or both parents are working, we worry that they might pass the disease to their children and from them to us.

“Not all of us managed to register for the AstraZeneca vaccine, so we all have to wait for our turn.

“At my centre, only one teacher managed to secure a slot. It would be great if the authorities allowed us to submit a list of active working teachers and help those who need to get the vaccine fast,” she said.

“Many forget about pre-schools as they only think about kindergartens. We care for children between the ages of four and six. It is inevitable to have contact with them, especially during toilet breaks.

“We do not allow children into the toilet without adult supervision and they usually need assistance.

“We try to reduce the time for teachers to have direct contact and have taught them to use their own things from their own personal basket,” she said.

Lim added that each child was given a basket and the teacher would guide them on how to use the items. She said during lunch and tea breaks, the kitchen crew would help the children when necessary.

State social development committee chairman Chong Eng said pre-school operators, teachers and caregivers should be given priority.

“It is a high-risk job. But the state government can only convey our concerns to the Health Ministry as they are the ones who control vaccination.

“They decide which group is going to get priority. Right now, priority is given to senior citizens and the disabled.

“Since there are more vaccines now, I hope the Federal Government will consider people under these categories,” she said.