Schools instructed to inform ministry of un-vaccinated students

The Ministry of Education has informed all schools in the country to inform them if they notice any un-vaccinated students.

According to a circular published by the ministry, all public and private schools are instructed to submit the latest vaccination records of students to the MEMIS portal before 27th February 2020.

Furthermore, schools are instructed to immediately share the details of students that are unvaccinated or have an incomplete vaccination pamphlet with the ministry's health and safety section. Moreover, they are directed to work with the aforementioned section to put the students in the Health Protection Agency's (HPA) vaccination program and ensure their vaccinations are up to date.

Highlighting the ministry's responsibility to guarantee a safe environment for schooling, the circular further instructed all schools to verify whether students have been administered all the required vaccinations, as listed in the newest immunization schedule publicized by the HPA in 2019, before enrollment.

Article 19(d) of the Child Rights Bill states that parents are legally responsible to provide children with healthcare, including vaccinations and that parent's do not have the authority or legal right to refuse their children access to vaccination.

The constitution also mandates the state to establish proper healthcare, guarantee all children have access to healthcare, and ensure that there are no children deprived of their rights to medical care.