KUALA LUMPUR: The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) is all for the decision to vaccinate fifth and sixth formers before they return to in-person classes.
Secretary-general Wang Heng Suan, told the New Straits Times that efforts should be made to coax those who refused to be inoculated with the Covid-19 vaccine.
“We have heard that a handful of students have refused to be vaccinated, as they may have medical problems or other personal reasons.
“We cannot force them to take the jab. Instead, we should reach out to them and explain why they should consider being vaccinated as it is for their own safety as well as others,” he said.
Wang added that students who refused the vaccine should not be discriminated against, including preventing them from attending school, as being in the classroom for physical learning would be a way to prevent students from dropping out of school.
“Instead, we should give them options, including giving them until the end of the year to take the vaccine. Some students who are no longer interested in learning might use the reason of refusing the vaccine to drop out of school, and we are trying to prevent this from happening.
“If they (the unvaccinated students) are not allowed to attend physical learning in schools, then the students may need to continue with home-based learning, which is also a good self-discipline option under parental supervision,” he said.
Health Minister Khairy jamaluddin was reported as saying that some three million adolescents aged between 12 and 17 were set to get the Covid-19 vaccine before the schooling sessions began in January.
The minister said the vaccination process would begin this month in several states.
On the Education Ministry’s decision to open schools according to the phases under the National Recovery Plan (NRP), Wang said it was done with the backing of psychological input.
“The learning environment is one of the factors able to create learning interest among students. Also, students will eventually feel safe to go to school knowing that the school staff, including teachers and their schoolmates, have been vaccinated,” he said.
Senior Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin was reported saying that the ministry’s formulation of a comprehensive framework on the reopening of schools based on the NRP had taken into consideration all components within the education system, which was to look after the welfare and wellbeing of more than five million students and numerous educators in more than 10,000 schools nationwide. -NST