Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Aug 29: Lecturers who have completed BA, BSc, MA, MSc, BEd and DEd, who shape up the future of students, are doing odd jobs now.

Coronavirus has badly affected the lives of these people. As schools and colleges are closed due to coronavirus, more than one lac teachers and lecturers of private schools, colleges and thousands of guest lecturers working in aided and government colleges are literally doing menial jobs in order to survive.

Teachers of government schools are doing online classes and are also involved in Covid-related duty. However, private teachers and guest lecturers were expecting schools and colleges to start in order to earn a living. Now almost three months have passed and they have taken to alternative jobs in order to make ends meet. Some are going for mason work, while others are working as agricultural labourers. Many women teachers are rolling beedis.

Ashok Kumar, teacher of a private school said, "From June till recently I used to go to agricultural work. But now all agriculture related work is over. Now I do not have job. I do not know about my future. I have done mason work for some time. I am worried about my family. Do not know how I am going to feed them. Other teachers also depend on daily wage work.

"Now online classes have started in private schools. But half of the teachers do not get salary as well as work. Many have been unceremoniously removed by the administrative committees of schools. Only few are recruited to conduct online classes for as low salary as Rs four to five thousand a month," said Ashok Kumar.

The plight of more than 22,500 guest teachers of government and aided schools is still worst. Generally they were getting selected in the month of June and attending duty from July. However, this year, they have not been called so far for work. Most of them are from the poorer section of the society. Some have even taken bank loan for their studies.

In Dakshina Kannada district alone, there are 550 guest teachers. Male guest teachers do daily wage work and also sell fruits and vegetables on roadside. Secretary of Dakshina Kannada district guest teachers' association Chitralekha says, "Government has to immediately make suitable arrangement for guest teachers."

A teary-eyed guest lecturer said, "I am a science lecturer at a private college. They gave me salary till the month of March and then removed from my job by sending an SMS on my mobile. I have two kids. How I have to manage my family, I do not know."