It looks as if a standstill will be witnessed in near future between the teachers and the government. While the teachers long requested to be vaccinated, it seems to the government that is a far-fetched dream.
About a month ago when schools got closed temporarily, the government was trying to contain the spread of COVID-19. The decision was taken after the Educators Trade Unions threatened to drag the government to court.
The Educators Trade Unions; Botswana Teachers Union (BTU), and Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) wanted to take the government to court to force the closure of schools. The Unions were moved by the high numbers of teachers testing positive for, and dying of COVID-19.
BTU and BOSETU wanted the government to close schools temporarily and vaccinate teachers. The teachers wanted to be prioritized in the COVID-19 programme as they are highly exposed. According to the statistics, more than hundred (100) teachers have fell victim to the virus, as they succumeed to it.
As the Educators Trade Unions have launched a campaign against going back to work without being vaccinated, BOFEPUSU have requested a meeting with DPSM to elaborate on the matter.
“Our take is that it will be irresponsible and unsafe to reopen schools in the absence of vaccination of teachers for the same reasons that were noted and heeded to upon closure, Statistics are lucid enough indicating that so many teachers are perishing due to covide19 given the nature of schoo! environment. In view of the above , we request an urgent meeting with yourself on the 12th August 2021, 2 pam to conclusively deal with this matter.” BOFEPUSU requested.
The schools are supposed to reopen on the 17th August 2021, but as it stands the teachers has not been vaccinated yet. As it stands, it has been reported that the government is struggling to get the vaccines. We will be on the look out to see who gets the priority of the newly arrived vaccines, and if the teachers will stand by their word and not go to work if they are not vaccinated.
