Watch: Teachers protest in Kuwait against COVID-19 jabs in lead-up to school year

Cairo: Dozens of schoolteachers protested in premises of the Kuwaiti Education Ministry over mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 in the run-up to the new academic year.

Public schools in Kuwait will return to in-person learning as of October 3, while private schools will resume on September 27.

Teachers, administrative staff and children above the age of 12 who are not vaccinated will need to show a proof of a negative PCR every weekly to enter the school.

The protesting teachers condemned the measures and renewed opposition to linking their access to schools to getting vaccinated or presenting negative PCR results.

The protesters raised placards reading “our rights are a red line” and “No to discrimination. The vaccinated and the unvaccinated transmit infection”.

They also threatened to stage mass absenteeism from schools, vowing not to “accept infringing of our freedom”.

Last month, all employees in Kuwait’s government agencies resumed work, after a year and a half of reduced capacity and working from home due to restrictions aimed to limit spread of COVID-19.

In recent weeks, Kuwait has seen a marked decline in the coronavirus infection rates.