JOHOR BAHRU: The Tunku Mahkota of Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim today summoned the Johor Education Department (JPNJ) director and 779 teachers rejecting COVID-19 vaccination to have an audience with him as soon as possible.

"I will meet with the Johor Education director and the teachers concerned as soon as possible. Our priority is to overcome the pandemic so that the people and the state can return to life as normal," he said in a post on his Twitter account.

For the record, JPNJ deputy director (learning) Shahilon Abd Halim is currently the department's acting director.

Tunku Ismail was commenting on a news report that 779 teachers in the state had rejected COVID-19 vaccination.

Earlier, State Education, Information, Heritage and Culture Committee chairman, Mazlan Bujang told the Johor State Assembly that a group of teachers had refused to be inoculated.

He said, however, efforts were underway through JPNJ and the State Religious Department to brief the teachers on the benefits of being vaccinated.

According to the Puteri Wangsa assemblyman, as of Aug 19, 45,448 or 96.26 per cent of teachers in Johor had received the first dose, and 23,746 teachers had completed two vaccine doses, said the .

A total 6,539 or 91.43 per cent of the Implementing Group Members (AKP) had received the first dose of the vaccine, while 2,816 or 39.37 per cent had completed two doses.

Meanwhile, 9,236 or 71.49 per cent of the operational support staff had received the first dose of the vaccine and 7,030 or 54.42 per cent had completed both doses.

-- BERNAMA