The Department of Education (DepEd) is preparing for the inoculation of teachers against COVID-19 as vaccine supplies begin to arrive in the Philippines.
DepEd Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio on Friday disclosed that talks are ongoing between Secretary Leonor Briones and Vaccine Czar and Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. on the inclusion of teachers in the priority list.
On Thursday, President Rodrigo Duterte assured the government is doing all necessary actions for the resumption of face-to-face classes in the country which was halted March last year.
“You have my assurance that the government will be exerting all efforts to roll out the nationwide COVID-19 Vaccination Program to enable us to reopen our schools and slowly resume our face-to-face learning,” he stated.
The department said it understands the current prioritization of frontline workers. The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) welcomed the development since it has been continuously reiterating the value of teachers as frontline workers.
“Of course we deserve the attention — ‘yung priority, ‘yung incentives na may kinalaman dito sa COVID-19 response ng gobyerno and that includes the vaccination (the priority, the incentives concerning COVID-19 response and that includes the vaccination),” TDC Chairperson Benjo Basas pointed out.
In case the president approves the conduct of limited face-to-face classes even without vaccines, the DepEd said it will immediately be implemented in qualified schools which will not be made mandatory on the part of learners. – Report from Kenneth Paciente
