All teachers and support staff working in the education sector (public and independent schools) have been vaccinated. Although the COVID-19 vaccine offers relief to some of the risks and worries, parents find themselves questioning the government, as to why are students excluded from the vaccination programme? Mapaseka Mthembu – the mother of three beautiful children who are still in primary school -said one of the hardest parts about being a parent right now is being aware that the vaccination programme has been rolled out but students are sidelined.
Parents are not happy with how things have been conducted; they believe that their children also deserve to be vaccinated since they are exposed to the virus the same as the teachers. Even though parents have accepted the decision which was taken, it can still be very exhausting for them.
“It raises questions when the government is vaccinating teachers whereas our kids are not getting the vaccine. How can you be sure as a parent that your child won’t contract the virus? How do we begin to be happy when we are not even sure if the vaccine will come at the right time for the kids? It’s frustrating,” said Mapaseka.“I did not cry tears of joy when I got vaccinated myself, but I will cry those tears of joy and relief when our kids get vaccinated,” said Zandile Magwaza from Mangosuthu primary school.
Masombuka (a teacher) said that none of this is easy and there are rarely black and white answers but parents have been resilient in this pandemic and are well-versed in complex decision making that is correct for their families.
She advised that parents need to give themselves grace and flexibility, as they do to their employers and communities.
By Zoleka Batsha
