Dr Angela Brown Burke, the People’s National Party (PNP) spokesperson on education and training, has reacted with alarm to Prime Minister Andrew Holness’s suggestion that the government could consider diffentiated compensation for teachers based on their vaccination status to encourage educators to get inoculated ahead of the new school year.

In a statement today (July 28), Brown Burke insisted that the Government must take a more democratic and iinclusive approach to governance and avoid mandatory policies around vaccination of teachers where possible.

She suggested that the Government work toward creating meaningful partnerships with teachers and principals so that they may be better able to address the fears and concerns of the nation’s teachers.

VACCINE HESITANCY A CONCERN

Holness had thrown out the possibility of introducing differentiated compensation as he addressed a press conference on Monday where he announced the tightening of COVID-19 restrictions in light of a recent uptick in new cases.

Concerns have been raised about the potential impact the ongoing coronavirus pandemic could have on the reintroduction of face-to-face classes when school restarts in September, particularly with vaccine hesitancy among many groups, including teachers.

Today, Brown Burke shared that she too understood the fears and frustrations of the Government as COVID-19 case numbers indicate a third wave of infections which could negatively affect face-to-face learning, the economy and daily life.

She said the high levels of hesitancy in the population to take the vaccine, likely driven by the rapid spread of misinformation and the fear of a worsening pandemic, were a cause for concern.

Brown Burke argued that it would be wise for focus group discussions to be held alongside vaccine education workshops and that she believed “sustained dialogue with teachers and principals to identify and allay the concerns
expressed will go a far way in increasing the number of vaccinated public school professionals”.

The opposition education spokesperson insisted that Holness refrain from any further mention of differentiated
compensation because of vaccination status among teachers and sought to remind the Government that the past year and a half has been difficult for many and that the trauma of a global pandemic is being felt by all.

“It is our duty as elected officials to advocate for the protection of our citizens but we must do so in a way that takes into consideration their concerns, fears and challenges,” she said.