Representatives for teachers organisations are urging government to embark on massive education and awareness programmes to all citizens so as to ensure that the vaccine jab is accepted by the majority of the people. Speaking during the State of Masvingo programme on Hevoi FM on Monday, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe Takavafira Zhou said that most of the people who shun the vaccine jab are doing so because of lack of adequate information, they have been stuffed with evil information from social media.
“There is no authentic information with regard to the utility component of the jab. Why should people be obliged to be vaccinated? People need to be taught about the importance of being vaccinated in a mutual manner, without being intimidated. No wonder people are resistant to taking it” Said Zhou.
Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA), President Richard Gundani concurred with his counterpart as he substantiated that implementation of the programme should be centrally on educating everyone, and availing the jab to all those who are in the learning institutions should be a priority. In a telephone interview with Hevoi FM News, Gundani said, “Top on the list of priorities, before we can talk about when and how schools are going to open, it is important that all educators are vaccinated. For years vaccine has been the only ultimate way helping us to successfully combat pandemics and epidemics. Yet there is no adequate education being availed to citizens about it.”
Teachers Unions` submissions come at a time when most of the people have mixed feelings with regard to the vaccine jab due to what the advocates of the jab have long since dismissed as malicious rumors aimed at jeorpadising progress of the programme.