NEW DELHI: Given the participation of government school teachers in various coronavirus management activities, the directorate of education (DoE) has issued directions to arrange for their vaccination as soon as possible.
Referring to the contribution of teachers in curtailing the spread of Covid infection, Udit Prakash Rai, director of education has written to all heads and principals saying that it is imperative to carry out inoculation “on an immediate basis”.
“The government school teachers have been spearheading the Covid response of the government of national capital territory (NCT) of Delhi. Teachers have been deployed on several fronts to contain the spread of Covid-19. Teachers have gone beyond the call of duty in the management of containment zones, airports, vaccination drive, ration distribution, oxygen management etc,” read the letter.
Praising the hard work by the teachers during the second wave of the Covid crisis, he said states they had spared no efforts in managing the crisis.
“The teachers of DoE who are the frontline workers for the Delhi government have led the efforts of the government in containing the infection and breaking the transmission. It is imperative that the DoE ensures all government school teachers get vaccinated on an immediate basis. Accordingly, all deputy directors of education (DDEs) and head of schools (HOSs) are hereby directed to take all necessary steps towards vaccination of all the government school teachers. They should ensure that all the concerned teachers are facilitated and vaccinated at the earliest,” said Rai.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday also commended teachers for their role in Covid management.
“Delhi government school teachers have been working 24*7 as a frontline worker in Covid management. From containment zone to quarantine centres, home isolation facilities, oxygen supply chain, food and ration distribution... you name it and you’ll find a teachers’ team working there,” he tweeted.
Sisodia also holds charge of the education department. Nearly 100 teachers and principals of Delhi government schools have died due to Covid-19 since March 2020.
Meanwhile, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party's teachers' and students' wings have both written to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal requesting him to open coronavirus vaccination centres at 28 Delhi University colleges funded by the government.
They have also demanded that the students studying in these colleges be vaccinated for free before the possibility of a third wave of COVID-19.
The Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) and the Delhi Teachers' Association (DTA) on Thursday wrote to CM Kejriwal putting forth these demands.
DTA in-charge Professor Hansraj Suman said, "Similar to how the government has taken a decision to vaccinate common people, they should also think about the safety of students in colleges funded by them. Till they (students) have been vaccinated, they should not be asked to return to campus."
(With PTI Inputs)