The NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union has welcomed the pledge from the
Government that all adults will be offered their first Covid
vaccination by the end of July, but has reiterated its call for
teachers and other education staff to be given priority access.
In order for all children and young people to be able to return
to education and avoid further damaging disruption to their
learning, the NASUWT believes it is in the national interest for
teachers and their colleagues to be prioritised for access in the
next rollout of the vaccine.
Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:
“The NASUWT believes it is in the national interest for the
government to prioritise teachers and education staff for access
to vaccination.
“The government has said that education is their priority for
ending lockdown and that it is determined to avoid further
lockdowns in the future. It is therefore essential that to keep
our schools open, vaccination of education staff must be
prioritised now.
“There has been overwhelming support from across the political
spectrum for teachers and education staff to be made a priority,
including from members of the Cabinet, and there is clearly
capacity in the system for all teachers and education staff to be
vaccinated rapidly if the political will is there to do so.
“It is deeply frustrating to hear reports from across the country
of surplus vaccines being distributed randomly when teachers are
expected to be working in circumstances in which social
distancing is a near impossibility.
“After so many months of disruption to pupils learning, the focus
must be on making schools and colleges covid secure so that when
they do fully open to all pupils they can remain open.
“Prioritising education staff for access to vaccination is key to
ensuring this happens and we can begin the recovery which young
people deserve.
“We call on the Prime Minister to make access to vaccinations for
education staff a priority in the Government’s decisions on the
reopening of schools.”
