More than half (56.3%) of the 13,356 education sector employees answering a survey of the Spiru Haret Federation of Education Trade Unions do not agree to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

The same survey showed that 43.2% would like to go back to face-to-face teaching before the start of the vaccination campaign. Schools in all localities moved to online learning on November 9, as the country introduced new restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The survey, carried out between December 16 and December 21, was aimed at identifying the teaching staff's perception on the reopening of schools and the Covid-19 vaccination.

The European Medicines Agency, which regulates the release of medicines in the EU, authorized the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine for use in the member states on December 21.

Healthcare professionals will be the first to get the vaccine, according to Romania's vaccination strategy, while those working in education are covered by the second phase of the vaccination campaign. 

A total of 73.1% of those answering the survey want kindergartens to reopen, 75.7% would like primary school (1st to 4th grade) pupils to return to face-to-face learning, 70.6% are in favor of schools reopening for secondary school students (5th grade to 8th grade), and 69.4% said high schools and vocational schools should reopen. 

When it comes to the moment of going back to face-to-face teaching, 43.2% would like to go back as soon as possible, while 41.4% think face-to-face classes should restart only after the end of the vaccination campaign at a national level. 

Of those answering the survey, 92.6% are teachers: 38.3% of them aged between 40 and 49, 23.3% are aged between 50 and 59, and 21.8% are aged between 30 and 39. A total of 49% of the respondents said they come from localities with more than 15,000 inhabitants, plus Bucharest. Furthermore, 21.7% teach in cities and 29.3% in rural areas.

The results of the survey are available here.

(Photo: Maria Kaminska/ Dreamstime)

simona@romania-insider.com