[DepEd Official Statements] On requiring vaccination for teachers handling face-to-face classes

 January 20, 2022 – The Department of Education reiterates that the government policy of requiring employees who work on-site, including teaching and non-teaching personnel involved in face-to-face classes and in-school activities, to be vaccinated is being implemented as a way of preventing the spread of COVID-19 in schools and DepEd offices to protect learners, clients, and employees to the extent possible.

This policy, particularly the requirement for teachers, with non-teaching personnel, handling face-to-face classes and performing in-school functions/tasks to be vaccinated, has been approved by the Office of the President.   This is also in line with the Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) Resolution Nos. 148B and 149 s. 2021, on the requirement for vaccination or negative RT-PCR result or antigen test result (if RT-PCR capacity is insufficient) for employees working on-site, in areas that have sufficient supply of vaccines as determined by the National Vaccines Operation Center.

The said policy does not and is not intended to unjustly discriminate against any DepEd employee who chooses not to be vaccinated. A DepEd employee who is not vaccinated is treated fairly as he/she remains obliged to render work and receive compensation based on applicable alternative work arrangements, and his/her work is not terminated on the sole ground of being unvaccinated, consistent with the above IATF Resolutions as well as Civil Service rules and regulations.

The DepEd, consistent with national and international laws, respects the rights of every person, while recognizing the duty of the State to promote public health and general welfare, which includes protection of the equal right of everyone to safety and health. 

Let it be assured that the DepEd, in the performance of its mandate to ensure access to, promote equity in, and improve the quality of basic education, puts in priority the best interest of the learners, as well as the welfare of its employees.

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Enero 20, 2022 – Inuulit ng Kagawaran ng Edukasyon (DepEd) na ang polisiya ng pamahalaan na nagre-require na mabakunahan ang mga empleyado na nagtatrabaho on-site, kasama ang mga guro at kawani na kasali sa face-to-face classes at mga aktibidad sa paaralan, ay ipinatutupad bilang paraan upang maiwasan ang pagkalat ng COVID-19 sa mga paaralan at opisina ng DepEd para mapangalagaan ang mga mag-aaral, kliyente, at mga kawani hangga’t maaari.

Ang polisiyang ito, partikular ang requirement para sa mga guro, kasama ang mga kawani, na humahawak ng face-to-face classes at nagsasagawa ng mga tungkulin o trabaho sa paaralan na maging bakunado, ay inaprobahan na ng Office of the President. Alinsunod din ito sa Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) Resolution Nos. 148B at 149 s. 2021, sa requirement na vaccination o negative RT-PCR result o antigen test result (kung hindi sapat ang kapasidad sa RT-PCR) para sa mga kawaning nagtatrabaho on-site, sa mga lugar na may sapat na suplay ng bakuna na tinukoy ng National Vaccines Operation Center.

Ang nasabing polisiya ay hindi at walang intensyon na diskriminahin ang sinomang empleyado ng DepEd na piniling hindi magpabakuna. Ang kawani ng DepEd na hindi bakunado ay tinatrato nang patas na mananatiling obligadong magtrabaho at makatanggap ng kabayaran base sa naaangkop na alternative work arrangement, at hindi matatanggal sa dahilan na siya ay hindi bakunado, sang-ayon sa nabanggit na IATF Resolutions gayundin sa rules and regulations ng Civil Service.

Ang DepEd, sang-ayon sa pambansa at pandaigdigang mga batas, ay nirerespeto ang karapatan ng bawat tao, habang kinikilala ang tungkulin ng Estado na itaguyod ang pampublikong kalusugan at pangkalahatang kapakanan, kasama na rito ang proteksyon sa patas na karapatan ng bawat isa sa kaligtasan at kalusugan.

Makasisiguro na ang DepEd, sa pagganap sa mandato nito na siguruhin ang akses sa pagsusulong ng katarungan, at pagpapabuti ng kalidad ng pangunahing edukasyon, ay binibigyang-prayoridad ang pinakamabuting interes ng mga mag-aaral, gayundin ang kapakanan ng mga guro at mga kawani nito.