The Department of Basic Education says the number of vaccinated people in the education sector is set to increase significantly when Limpopo and the Western Cape commence their roll out programmes today.

Limpopo Premier Chupu Mathabatha, Education MEC Polly Boshielo and Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga will this morning launch the vaccination programme in that province at Pietersburg Hospital.

On Wednesday, when the vaccination programme began, the Department of Health recorded 49 776 educators and staff who received their vaccines. On the second day 55 444 received their injections.

KwaZulu-Natal continues to lead with 32.1% of their target population vaccinated. Eastern Cape registered 21%, Free State at 21.9%, Mpumalanga recorded 26% and North West 22%.

The Northern Cape has recorded 12%, while Gauteng is at 11% as of Thursday. These patterns also mirror the trends in the general population.

The basic education sector has identified 582 000 educators and staff who are expected to be vaccinated by 8 July 2021.

The Acting Health Minister Mamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane has this morning announced that more Johnson & Johnson doses have arrived in the country.

The department has assured the sector that there will be enough vaccines doses for everybody in the sector as initially announced.

“The department urges all educators and staff to follow the schedules in each district in order to ensure a smooth roll-out of the programme,” the Department of Basic Education said in a statement.

The leaders of all the five teacher unions in the sector recieved their vaccinations yesterday in Atteridgeville, Pretoria. They were joined by the Chief Executives of entities that include SACE, ETDP SETA, ELRC, NECT and UMALUSI.

Source: South African Government News Agency