KUCHING: Sarawak Teachers Union (STU) has praised the government’s decision to vaccinate Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) 2021 candidates, starting next month.
“This is a very timely move by the government as these are the students who need to go back to school as soon as possible,” STU president Adam Prakash Abdullah told New Sarawak Tribune on Friday (June 18).
He said vaccination would boost the confidence of the students in going back to school.
“STU also hopes that teachers who have not received their vaccination be included in this programme so that all will be covered in the schools.”
Adam also hoped that the same initiative could be further extended to other students in phases as well.
National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, after attending the Pahang-level Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) meeting, on Friday, said that SPM and STPM 2021 candidates would receive the Pfizer vaccine starting next month.
He said schools would be used as vaccination centres (PPV) to administer the shots to students.
Senior Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin on Thursday (June 17) said CITF agreed on the proposal by the Education Ministry that students sitting for major examinations this year be given priority for vaccine shots.
On Tuesday (June 15), Health director-general Tan Sr Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah announced that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine had been approved for recipients aged 12 and above.
This came after the Drug Control Authority (DCA), during its 359th meeting, approved the use of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children aged 12 and above.
