As the schools and colleges continue to remain shut due to the coronavirus pandemic lockdown it is the teachers and lecturers of the private educational institutions who are bearing the brunt.
Turned jobless due to the lockdown they are desperately searching for alternative livelihood options to eke out a living amid the turbulent times. Many teachers and lecturers of private educational institutions have now turned vegetable vendors, farmers, shopkeepers and sales personnel.
Mathematics lecturer in a private degree college and also a gurukulam 34-year-old J. Lalaiah, who has done MSc (Mathematics) and B.Ed., has now taken up a sales career in digital marketing to make ends meet. V. Ravinder who has an M.Tech in Machine Design and worked in a Hyderabad-based private engineering college as an assistant professor has now turned a two-wheeler mechanic in his hometown Madhira.
No options available
“The pandemic crisis has forced me to take up the sales representative job to feed my family,” said Mr. Lalaiah. The pandemic has snatched away the option of conducting home tuitions, the alternative means of livelihood, he rued Mr. Lalaiah, who holds M.Sc (Mathematics) and B.Ed degrees. My aim is to become a post-graduate teacher in the State-run Gurukulams, he told The Hindu.
I have taken up bike repair to cope with the financial constraints imposed by the pandemic, said Mr. Ravinder. “I am working in the shed owned by my relative Srihari to eke out a living. I taught him mathematics during school days and has now turned a bike mechanic and I am taking his support to surmount the present crisis,” he added.
There are some 8,000 teachers working in 250 odd private schools across the district and all are reeling under the pandemic induced crisis, deplored Telangana Private Teachers Forum district president K. Rama Rao.
Traditional occupations
Most of the private teachers have not been paid salaries for the past three months and the precarious situation has forced many to take up their traditional occupations and turn daily wage labourers under the MGNREGS, Mr. Rao said.
The government should immediately intervene to provide succour to the private teachers who are in dire straits and ensure strict implementation of the statutory social security measures by the private school managements, he demanded.
