First Lady Janet Kataha Museveni who also doubles as minister of education and sports has argued the public and all collaborative stakeholders in local government to join the government efforts in mobilizing teachers and learners aged 18 years and above to go for their Covid-19 vaccination jab.
According to government strategy on reopening schools across the country, at least 357,500 (65%) teachers must have been vaccinated.
Official statistics show that only 38% of teachers have been vaccinated, six months after the government kicked off Covid-19 vaccination.
The government is struggling to secure vaccines for 21.9 million people.
As of now, the country is using donated vaccines from the Covax facility and sympathetic nations like India, Norway, France, and China.
The World Health Organisation last week appealed to wealthy nations to share the scarce shots with poor countries that are yet to immunise their people instead of being used by rich countries as boosters.
According to Janet Museveni, the task of mobilising teachers and learners to get vaccinated cannot be left to the Ministry responsible for Education alone.
“As a ministry, we urge all our collaborative stakeholders in the local governments such as district chairpersons and councillors, RDCs and RCCs, CAOs, DEOs among others to go out and sound the trumpet of mobilising teachers to be vaccinated,” she said
She also argued various fraternity associations that bring together teaching staff, non-teaching staff, head teachers, principals, and other heads of tertiary institutions to encourage teachers and learners to get vaccination jabs.
“Getting our teaching staff and learners vaccinated is first and foremost for their own personal wellbeing and safety. As you all know, delivery of learning is a highly interactive physical process in the context of our country,” she explained.
She said that the Education ministry with in engagement together with the Ministry of Health, to align their efforts towards getting teachers and learners above 18 years of age vaccinated.