Teachers, childcare educators subject to Covid-19 vaccine mandate

Queensland teachers and childcare workers will have to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 to return to the classroom in 2022, or face the prospect of losing their jobs. But who will be affected? Education Minister Grace Grace explains the mandate.

Teachers and childcare educators face new vaccine mandates and could be sacked if they aren’t double-vaccinated by January 23.

Many parents have welcomed the announcement by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, but how will it work?

We asked Education Minister Grace Grace to explain.

Who is covered by the new vaccine mandate?

Teachers at all schools, including state, Catholic and independent will need to have their first vaccine by December 17 and their second vaccine by January 23 to comply with the new mandate. This would include admin staff, groundsmen and women, contractors, music teachers giving after-school lessons and volunteers who come onto the grounds. Childcare educators and after school care are also covered. Basically, if you work on the grounds of a school or childcare centre, you need to be vaccinated.

Does it cover parents?

No, parents will not have their vaccination status checked to come onto school grounds and students aren’t covered by the mandate either.

Education Minister Grace Grace has not ruled out that teachers will lose their jobs. File picture

What about university and TAFE staff?

The mandates do not cover university and TAFE staff but this could change. Ms Grace says extending the mandates to these facilities is under active consideration.

What will happen if teachers refuse to be vaccinated?

Ms Grace says “all options” are on the table and stakeholders are being consulted now on those options. That could include redeploying teachers into other roles, although that might not always be possible. She’s not ruled out that teachers will be terminated if they don’t get vaccinated. “We’re working to finalise that health directive and everything is on the table in relation to what would occur after the 23rd. We’re lucky we have a little bit of time before school starts in 2022,” she said.

Asked if she personally thought teachers who refused to be vaccinated should face the sack, Ms Grace said: “I personally think that every school and early childhood centre staff should be vaccinated and I believe that there will be consequences if they’re not and we’re working through that.”

Are there concerns there will be teacher shortages caused by the mandate?

Ms Grace says other states who have put education mandates in place have achieved rates up to 99 per cent compliance, so she’s hopeful that will happen here too. But she said there will be backup plans to use substitute teachers from the state’s supply pool of 12,000 if some teachers refuse and can’t go back into classrooms. “We have a very high number of people that are available temporarily that can come into schools,” she said.

How many teachers are currently vaccinated?

Ms Grace says 85,000 doses have been given under the 1B phase of the vaccination program, which gave teachers and childcare educators priority access. That doesn’t include teachers who were vaccinated under other phases of the vaccine program, or who sought the jab at their GP or chemist. “We predict that it is very high but the department is working on that this week,” she said.

What will happen in small communities where there are few teachers if they refuse to be vaccinated?

Ms Grace said the Education Department would work with small communities to make sure no area is disadvantaged.