Upper House MP Tim Quilty believes immunisation rates warrant unvaxxed teachers being allowed to return work

The Victorian Upper House MP believes the requirement is no longer necessary and unprotected teachers should be able to return to classrooms.

"I think they should be allowed back to work, we're well and truly past the mandatory vaccination rates we need," Mr Quilty said.

"The government have got the vaccination rates they need, it's now just an exercise in proving they're in control."

Mr Quilty's call comes as unvaccinated teachers face losing their pay over the summer holidays.

They have been told if they cannot produce evidence they are fully vaccinated or medically exempt by December 18 they will not be paid from that date.

If they complete their shots during the holidays they will be reinstated and may receive back pay.

Wodonga school council president Paul Thorpe said his teacher wife Lana is in that category after having been on leave since October.

He says the pay withdrawal conflicts with advice given in October and he believes his wife is entitled to the remuneration based on her work through the year.

Mr Thorpe, who declined to identify his school, said he was double jabbed but his wife disagreed with the vaccine.

"She doesn't think it's necessary for her health or to protect the broader community and she has concerns about the particular vaccine as did a third of Australians back in May this year," he said.

Mr Thorpe said his wife had been a teacher for 31 years and hoped a mandate would be removed so she can return to Wodonga Senior Secondary College in 2022.

The Victorian Education Department has estimated 99.6 per cent of teachers are fully vaccinated and therefore complying with the regulations of the government.

Mr Quilty disputes that figure, saying he's aware of 630 and has been contacted by dozens of non-immunised teachers.

"I think there's a whole bunch left out of the figures, there's dozens in Albury-Wodonga who are not vaccinated," he said.

Mr Quilty suggested NSW could drop its vaccination mandate for teachers and leave Victorian students without educators.

However, a NSW Department of Education spokesman gave no indication its compulsion for COVID protection would be dropped soon.

"The overwhelming majority of our school and corporate staff have responded to the COVID 19 vaccine mandate, which applies to all NSW public sector employees," he said.

"Under the public health order (PHO) it is a condition of employment to be fully vaccinated.

"All school staff who have returned to school since the October lockdown ended have had to comply with the PHO, unless they have a medical exemption.

"With the PHO recently extended, it is unlawful for unvaccinated staff or visitors to be on school grounds.

"Ultimately it is an individual's choice as to whether they are vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to continue their employment with us."

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