Over 70% of teachers are vaccinated, says Khairy

KUALA LUMPUR: More than 70% of teachers have been vaccinated ahead of schools reopening on Sept 1, says coordinating minister for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Khairy Jamaluddin.

He said the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) and Education Ministry were identifying the number of teachers and those under contract for their first dose.

Khairy, who is also the Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, said 303,682 schoolteachers or 73.5% had been vaccinated as of Tuesday.

“Some 45,197 staff under Anggota Kumpulan Pelaksana or 67% of them have been vaccinated.

“A total of 33,633 support staff have also been vaccinated,” he said in his briefing session at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

He clarified that the support staff also included canteen operators, security guards and cleaners.

Specifically on teachers who were assigned to teach SPM and STPM students, Khairy said 90% of them, or 80,717, had been vaccinated.

He also said that a total of 12,894 teachers (66.8%) in the private sector had also been vaccinated.

The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) said the plan to administer at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine to educators and support staff before the face-to-face school session begins in stages on Sept 1 would help to curb the emergence of school clusters.

Its president Aminuddin Awang expressed his gratitude for the assurance given by Khairy on the vaccination and hoped it would be realised.

“I hope teachers across the country will make the most of this golden opportunity when they get their vaccination appointments,” he said.