Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Khomas region education directorate wants parents to give consent to have their children vaccinated against Covid-19. In a letter dated 19 January, the Khomas education directorate wrote to all schools in the region to request parents’ consent to have their children aged 12-17 years old receive the Pfizer vaccine as part of the targeted vaccination programme for schools.
The education directorate says it is ready to make available mobile vaccination teams for the programme. The letter, confirmed by the director of education in the region, Paulus Nghikembua, notes that in the past, it was observed that the spread of infections could not be contained at schools.
The letter adds that the spread of Covid-19 led to the temporary closure of schools, resulting in the loss of teaching and learning time. “Thus to help reduce and manage this situation from getting out of hand this year, the ministry of education in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Social Services, is providing vaccination to willing and consenting parents,” the document read.
So far, health ministry statistics show that as of yesterday, 3 215 pupils got their first dose of the vaccine, while 732 are fully vaccinated. The vaccination campaign at schools will also include children living with conditions such as HIV and asthma to be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine.
Nghikembua yesterday confirmed that his office received a request from the health ministry saying the vaccination of children is now the target area to push up the number of the vaccinated.
“In view of that, and for any minor, the parents must consent, if they wish to get their children vaccinated. This is the ministry of health’s exercise and campaign,” he said.
He added that the health ministry will have to put measures in place in terms of whether pupils will be vaccinated at schools. In terms of teachers, Nghikembua said they are adults and can make the decision to get vaccinations.
Health executive director Ben Nangombe said the exercise by the Khomas directorate of education is a welcome exercise as this would help Namibia reach herd immunity. He said the education ministry is assisting by encouraging people to get vaccinated.
“The vaccination campaign is to be promoted by various stakeholders, and the education ministry is an important stakeholder in the sense that it is managing schools where part of the eligible population can be motivated to get vaccinated,” Nangombe noted.
The education ministry’s director of programmes, Ayesha Wentworth, said the letter by the Khomas directorate of education is clear, that it is only for parents who consent, and all other measures remain in place.
“There are national campaigns through the health ministry encouraging vaccination,” she said.
Namibia National Students Organisation spokesperson Esther Shakela said, as an organisation, they encourage pupils and students who are eligible to get vaccinated.
“We encourage pupils who are eligible for vaccination to get vaccinated as this will aid the country in achieving herd immunity.
She said this translates into life returning to a degree of normalcy, but it will also assist the schooling system, which has faced so many challenges with the reopening of schools due to fears of mass contraction of the virus.
“The efforts of the ministry having vaccination sites at schools is a step towards accelerating the collective vaccination process, which is commendable,” said Shakela.
One parent, Selma Gabriel, said most children do not know about the vaccines, nor Covid-19 because there was no proper outreach done. “During polio times, enough information was shared, correct information, but with Covid-19, it is confusing.
We have seen people who got vaccinated dying, how sure are we that it will be safe with our kids?” she asked. Gabriel said one is not really sure if the Covid-19 vaccine helps.
“I don’t want my kids to get vaccinated. Even now, we parents are being forced to get vaccinated and because we don’t want to lose our jobs and starve we are doing it unwillingly,” she said. Paulus Shikongo, a parent, said vaccination should be a personal choice.
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