FTU calls on its members to get vaccinated as teachers are also exposed to risk

The Fiji Teachers Union is encouraging all its members to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

General Secretary, Agni Deo Singh says the extent to which the virus has spread leaves them with no option.

Singh says teachers are also exposed to the risk, as a vast majority of students require hard copies of the worksheets.

He says the distribution, collection and making of worksheets means movement of a large number of parents and teachers and the worksheets are being handled by various persons before being returned to the teachers for marking.

Singh says their request for the Ministry of Education should seek assistance from other Government agencies to assist in the distribution and collection of worksheets has not been heeded.

Meanwhile, Singh says they believe the Government is blackmailing civil servants by suddenly stopping their pay for not having taken their first jab. The FTU says this could have been handled in a much better manner if all stakeholders were engaged from the beginning.

Singh says the FTU supports the call made by the Fiji Trades Union Congress to work through tripartite mechanism.