The Department of Education (DepEd) said Thursday its requirement of coronavirus vaccination for teaching and non-teaching personnel who will participate in limited face-to-face classes is to prevent the spread of the virus, not a discrimination.

In a statement, the DepEd said such policy is a way of preventing the spread of Covid-19 in schools and DepEd offices for the protection of learners, clients and employees.

“The said policy does not and is not intended to unjustly discriminate against any DepEd employee who chooses not to be vaccinated,” it said.

It clarified that an unvaccinated employee is treated fairly “as he or she remains obliged to render work and receive compensation based on applicable alternative work arrangements, and his or her work is not terminated on the sole ground of being unvaccinated.”

The practice is consistent with the resolutions of Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) and the Civil Service Commission rules and regulations.

IATF Resolution Nos. 148B and 149, series of 2021, require vaccination or negative RT-PCR or antigen test result (if RT-PCR) capacity is insufficient) for employees working onsite, in areas that have sufficient supply of vaccines as determined by the National Vaccines Operation Center.

“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,” it said.

Earlier, the DepEd said about 93 percent of its teaching and non-teaching personnel have been vaccinated against Covid-19 in 2021. (PNA)