Teacher shortage looms as thousands still remain unvaccinated despite looming deadline – while NSW infection numbers fall further
- NSW recorded 296 new local Covid cases and four deaths on Sunday
- From Monday students primary and high schools will welcome back all students
- However, there is concerns about 3,000 are yet to get their second vaccine jab
NSW is facing the prospect of a looming teacher shortage as thousands of educators remain unvaccinated despite being given a deadline to get jab or lose their jobs.
Covid case numbers continue to drop with 296 new infections and four deaths recorded on Sunday with nearly 85 per cent of the state double-vaccinated.
The high vaccine rates mean from Monday students in Years 2 to 11 will return to in-person learning in the classroom, with those in kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 12 already having returned last week.
But there are now concerns there could be a shortage of teachers to front their classes, with about 3,000 still not fully vaccinated.
Students in Years 2 to 11 have been given the green light by the NSW government to return to in-person classes from Monday though there are concerns whether there will be enough teachers (pictured: NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet)
In NSW, teaching staff have been mandated to have their second Covid jab by November 8.
As of Friday about 95 per cent of school staff members are understood to have been vaccinated – with the remaining 5 per cent amounting to about 3000 teachers.
Some of those 3,000 may have not had the chance to get jabbed since the edict was put in place, while others may be resisting vaccination.
‘That presents serious challenges in terms of the organisation of a school in terms of ensuring that we have staff in front of every classroom and our timetabled classes proceed unaffected,’ Angelo Gavrielatos from the NSW Teacher’s Federation said.
About 160 schools are understood to be seeking help from the Education Department to boost staff numbers.
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