ISLAMABAD – The Punjab government has instructed teachers across the province to get vaccinated by June 5. According to a notification issued by the Punjab School Education Department, the decision was announced on the instructions of the National Command and Operation Centre.

All teaching and non-teaching staff members will have to submit their vaccination cards/certificates to their institutions. Those who fail to do so will be punished under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline, and Accountability Act 2006.

The notification added that the institution’s head will be responsible for ensuring the inoculation of staff members.

Earlier this month, the government opened Covid-19 vaccination for all teachers above the age of 18 years. The aim is to immunise all the teachers before the schools reopen on Monday (June 7).

Punjab recently inaugurated a vaccination centre for teachers in Lahore.

There are 16,000 teachers and 4,000 non-teaching staff in the province. Teachers will have to take their CNICs and teaching certificates to the centres. They will be administered Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines.

Last week, the Sindh School Education Department said that any employee who fails to get vaccinated before schools reopen will face “dire consequences”.

Once inoculated, teachers have to submit their vaccination cards to the head of their institution. The government announced to establish over 180 Covid-19 vaccination centres in schools and colleges in every district of Sindh. The plan is to vaccinate 100,000 teachers.