KUALA KANGSAR: The state government has no power to implement mandatory Covid-19 vaccination for 279 teachers here who had refused to be vaccinated.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said such directive came directly from the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali in getting all civil staff to be inoculated against the virus.
Up to yesterday, 37,069 from 37,438 teachers serving in the state had been vaccinated, he said.
Of the number of teachers who had yet to receive Covid-19 vaccination, 369 of them had registered for it.
He also said only 16 teachers in Perak did not register under the MySejahtera, while the 37,135 others had done so.
Saarani expressed confidence that the Perak Education Department and the respective school administrations would fill in the gap left due to the refusal of 279 teachers yet to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
"The school will be able to address (the matter). It was the case of teachers who take medical leave; the principles, headmasters or administrators will deal with it through their own methods, even when it involves those teaching critical subjects.
"Based on the Education Ministry's policy, the 279 teachers who refused to be vaccinated are barred from entering the school compound, including those who are from schools that are under the state administration. We can't disregard the policy," he said during the state-level Teacher's Day celebration at Dewan Jubli Perak here today.
Also present were Perak Education direction Datuk Dr Mohd Suhaimi Mohamed Ali and state Education, Higher Education and Human Resources committee chairman Ahmad Saidi Mohamad Daud.
Saarani said the state government could only appeal to the teachers to get themselves vaccinated soon as the learning session in school would start on Nov 22.
He said the state government had also taken into consideration concerns raised by parents who would be sending their children to school soon.
"Various excuses were given by those who had refused to be vaccinated, citing human rights, while they failed to understand the rights of others to feel safe and protected (against the disease)."
On Oct 14, Ahmad Said was reported as saying some 300 teachers in Perak had yet to be inoculated with the Covid-19 vaccines.
The number, however, only accounted for those who are still waiting for MySejahtera appointments.
On Nov 1, Saarani said staff working with the state government would not be exempted from disciplinary actions including termination if they refused to be vaccinated without legit reasons, as stated in a circular by the Public Service Department issued on Oct 18.