COLOMBO : The Expert Committee on Vaccination of Schoolchildren has given approval to vaccinate schoolchildren against COVID-19, Education Ministry Secretary Prof. Kapila Perera said.
This Expert Committee was appointed to look into the possibility of inoculating all schoolchildren against COVID-19.
Several countries are already vaccinating children in the 12-17 age bracket with Pfizer and Moderna jabs after approval from their medicine regulatory authorities. No adverse effects have been reported after the inoculation.
Prof. Perera said the Ministry expects to provide COVID-19 vaccines to at least to a share of the student population before schools reopen, probably next month. He added that the inoculation of school Principals, teachers and non-academic staff was continuing successfully now all over the island. The Sinopharm vaccine is being used for this purpose.
The official launch of the COVID-19 vaccination drive for school teachers and non-academic staff commenced at the Army Hospital on Monday. Vaccination of all teachers in Colombo was to be completed yesterday. Education Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris previously said most schools will be re-opened in August after the vaccination of school teachers and non-academic staff.
Meanwhile, commenting on the on-going trade union action by teachers, Co-Cabinet Spokesman Mass Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella Monday asked the parents to decide whether it is justifiable to keep the education of their children as a surety for the fulfillment of an issue of three to four individuals.
Condemning the decision taken by the teachers to refrain from conducting online teaching classes, Minister Rambukwella said that the Government is taking all possible measures to provide all necessary facilities for the children to continue their education without any interruption in order to make a better future for them.
He was responding to a question related to the ongoing teacher strike, by a journalist at the weekly Cabinet media briefing held yesterday at the Government Information Department.
The Ceylon Teachers Service Union (CTSU) last Monday (July 5) organized a protest near the Parliament roundabout to demand the Government to withdraw the General Sir John Kotelawala National Defence University Bill. Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin and few others were arrested for violating quarantine law and directed to quarantine.
Fourteen trade unions including the Ceylon Teachers Union, the Ceylon Teachers’ Service Union, All Ceylon United Teachers Union, and the Principals’ Service Union decided to refrain from conducting online teaching practices from Monday (12) against the Government’s move to direct Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin and 15 others for quarantine after being released on bail.
“It is not an easy task. The COVID 19 pandemic is a new challenge for the whole world. But as a small country, Sri Lanka has succeeded in taking various measures to combat the pandemic.
The Government is confident that Sri Lanka would be able to administer at least the first dose of a COVID 19 vaccine to a target population of 13 million before the end of next month. Priority has been given to about 242,000 teachers,” the Minister commented.
The Minister said that the Government was taking steps to set up 16 television channels for the education of children and that special measures were also being taken for the education of children with special needs.
The Minister condemned the decision taken by the Teachers’ Unions to hold street protests violating the quarantine law and health guidelines. “Instead, they could have taken legal action against the Bill. According to my knowledge, many teachers have no idea at all what this Bill is about,” said the Minister.
