KUCHING: Sarawak Teachers Union (STU) wants teachers to set an example and get vaccinated, raising awareness about the importance of Covid-19 vaccination to the community.
STU president Adam Prakash Abdullah says teachers are role models in society and “it is important to work together in fighting the pandemic.”
“We hope that all teachers would lead by example. We must fight this pandemic together so that our children can go back to school again,” he said on Thursday (June 24).
On recent reports about some 150 teachers in Sibu refusing vaccination, Adam said STU hoped the authorities could provide the details for verification and further action.
He pointed out that STU wished to see every teacher vaccinated before schools reopen.
“We’re quite surprised at the news, and we would appreciate it if the Sibu Divisional Disaster Management Committee could provide the details to us for verification before acting accordingly.
“We have not received any further information on these teachers. We hope that this is a misinformation as we have been trying very hard to get all teachers in the state to be vaccinated. This is news to us.
“We would also like to urge the Sibu District Education Office (PPD) to look into this issue as soon as possible as it is important for all teachers to get vaccinated for the safety of the schoolchildren.”
Adam said there had been requests for deferment of vaccination appointments from teachers who are pregnant mothers and breastfeeding.
“There are also some teachers who are having other problems like allergy to medication and having health issues.
“Teachers are human too and they do not deserve to be reported as refusing vaccination. Thus, we hope the authorities would disclose the facts and actual data if it is deemed necessary to do so.”
