IT was recently announced that candidates for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) 2021 will be vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine starting July 2021.
While this is no doubt good news for students, let’s just call it what it really is: queue-jumping. What bothers plenty of people out there is the question why students – even those who will be sitting for their 2021 SPM and STPM exams – are considered a higher priority than others.
And by ‘others’, of course I mean those in the second phase of the national immunisation programme who have yet to receive their appointment dates despite registering for the vaccine earlier this year.
Yes, the same second phase that prioritises high risk persons, the elderly, and persons with disabilities (PwD).
What has made the entire situation even more ridiculous is the fact that earlier this month, Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin had announced that the oral and science practical examinations for SPM 2021 will commence in February 2022, while the written examinations will begin in March.
With the SPM examination postponed and schools still closed, why is there a sudden rush to get the exam candidates vaccinated now?
This is, to put it bluntly, akin to a slap in the face for many of those who are still waiting to be called for their appointments.
That the Ministry of Health (MOH) has given its assurance that all individuals who have registered for vaccination in the MySejahtera app will be given appointment dates to receive the vaccine is hardly the point.
The point here is obviously the fact that there are still thousands, if not millions, of people out there who are patiently awaiting their turns, only to be pushed aside with no fair warning to make way for those who weren’t even registered in the first place.
How is this even fair to the others?
The queue system is put in place for a specific reason, and that is to avoid chaos. But somehow, even with a queue system in place, we have all managed to descend into chaos, and that really speaks volumes about the country’s vaccine management system.
But queue system or not, it would certainly make more sense to prioritise those who have registered first, and worry about vaccinating the others once we are almost done with those in the waiting list.
This is instead of pushing more and more categories of people into the existing three phases in the national immunisation programme.
It would certainly be less of a mess this way, and above everything else, it would be fair. – June 26, 2021
Photo credit: Juice Online
