World Teacher’s Day today: Jobs gone, hopes too

Kaiser Ahmed felt a little bit of relief when educational institutions were reopened last month. His life was turned upside-down by the Covid-19-induced school closures that lasted 18 months.

A teacher at a Sunamganj kindergarten was almost laid off after the school's financial crisis caused it to stop paying its salaries.

Kaiser's means of income turned out to be even more expensive as he lost all the savings he had invested in opening a coffee shop in his community for survival.

He was thrilled to hear that his school would reopen. Not only was it exciting to go back into the classroom, but also the prospect of a steady income. However, his hope was short-lived when Learning Point Cadet Academy declared its closure permanent within two weeks. There were not enough students returning to the school.

"I'm 35 years old, and it's very difficult to find a job at this stage. I want to travel to the Middle East as a contractor. "I am in touch with one of my older brothers for this," stated a dejected Kaiser. He used to receive a monthly salary from the school of Tk 20,000.

Kaiser is one of thousands of kindergarten teachers across the country who are forced to trade their traditional chalk and duster for jobs such as working in farms, selling clothes or vegetables.

Teachers quit their jobs because they didn't get salaries for several months and lived inhumane lives. The kindergarten authorities are unable to pay salaries for teachers because many of their students' guardians did not pay their tuition fees.

After 543 days of closing down, schools and colleges across the nation reopened on September 12, but many kindergartens had their campuses permanently closed as the majority of their students moved to the government's primary schools. Some may have dropped out, however, stated the teachers.

It is difficult to find data about the number of schools that have been closed down as the government doesn't have this information. According to a report by kindergarten teachers' associations around 40-50 percent of kindergarten teachers have lost work. Leaders of the association stated that nearly 20,000 kindergartens remain closed, and many will not open their doors to students.

This is why the country observes World Teachers' Day today. The day's theme is "Teachers at heart of education recovery".

Teachers in Bangladesh, particularly at kindergartens, don't have high salaries or savings. To make a living, they changed jobs.

Amzad Hossain, one of them.

His heart is filled with regret on Teachers' Day. Amzad chose this career because he wanted to help a new generation of students.

"It was really hard and frustrating to have to leave this noble profession when the pandemic ravaged everything. He said that the profession had given him so much love, respect, and it could not fill my stomach."

Chattogram's Vision International School head teacher, 36, said that the school was closed down by the authorities in January because the total house rent dues stood at Tk 7.75 lakh. There were 450 students at the school.

I borrowed money from friends and borrowed from my small savings to pay half the amount. I can't afford more."

Amzad plans to open a small business focusing on garment products to support his three-member family.

Shafiur Rahman is a teacher at Rosedale Kindergarten in Meherpur and has a similar story.

His school was forced to stop paying salaries as everything stopped during the pandemic. To provide income for his family of five in Borobazar, he started a tea shop six months ago.

"I was in a respected position in society as teacher. But I didn't have the option. He said that he knew how tea sellers are treated in society.

Shafiur stated that they tried to reopen the school but only 20-25 of 300 students showed up.

"I don’t believe the school could continue to run in this circumstance."

Chairman of Bangladesh Kindergarten School and College Oikya Parishad Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury stated that approximately 20,000 kindergartens were not yet open and that many will close due to the financial crisis.

He said that if kindergartens received financial assistance, such as soft loans for their owners or waivers of utility bills for hard-hit schools and schools, they could survive in times of crisis.

Mizanur Rahman (secretary general of Bangladesh Kindergarten Association) stated that around 40-50 percent of kindergarten teachers have lost work.

Unfortunately, many teachers have left teaching to pursue other careers. They are now working as masons, laborers in shops, selling seasonal fruit and vegetables, and driving three-wheelers and auto-rickshaws.

Directorate of Primary Education Director (Monitoring and Evaluation), Uttaam Kumar das admitted that schools were closed during the pandemic, and their students moved to government primary schools.

Uttaam stated that he was unaware of any financial aid plan for kindergartens.

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