The education sector has been the most neglected and apathetic sector since long here in Nepal and it's much in a dilapidated and impeded condition in the context of the ongoing impasse of lockdown. Needless to talk, discuss or debate the immensely significant role of education in the overall spectrum of human, social, and national life.
However, neither government and private educational institutions nor guardians, civil societies, and other stakeholders have paid any heed to the genuine concerns of hungry, depressed, and discriminated teachers. Politics in education has been only used as a tool to satisfy the bourgeoning capitalist need of few. The formal and informal organized groups or institutions working in the education sectors have not been successful in transforming the pain of teaching staff into happiness as they lack the motion and dynamics to assert pressure on government and policymakers.
On the other hand, the government body, education ministry, and policymakers are highly apathetic towards the growingly tragic plight of teachers. The government is cent percent indifferent to the tragedy and hardships faced by 2 lakhs and above private teachers. Its attempt is to crush and end the existence of private academic institutions thereby making many private teachers unemployed.
Teachers are the true laborers or workers who work and shape the mind and personality of students in educational institutions. Despite their prime role and contribution to the upliftment of overall educational status, they are never given any space as a stakeholder to put their voice and need. The key to unlocking is somewhere else. This is the ultimate reality.
Many governments and non-government institutions and offices are remaining closed during the lockdown. But there is no difference in the economic life of those working there. Salary and other benefits are unstoppably dispersed to them. But when it comes to the private teaching sector, they have been accusing and playing blame games. The counterpart government schools are untouched by the problem. Isn't this a grave injustice and discrimination?
The majority of private schools have been offering online classes as an alternative taking the sensitivity of the corona pandemic. The majority of guardians have been taking benefit of the service and all the private teachers have been dedicating themselves in imparting quality education using online platforms. Teachers took much effort and hard work to get trained and skilled for using online teaching platforms and Still guardians are being provoked by some forces to not pay for the service what they are getting for their children. Its an injustice and a prejudiced view. The problems of hundreds of thousands of aloof and discarded teachers from the mainstream of welfare need to be heard and given solution.
There is also a lack of uniformity among many private schools and colleges regarding the payment of salary. Despite being comparatively economically poor also some institutions have been dispersing the salary and perks of their teaching staffs whereas some others who boast themselves as pioneer, capable, and leading are showing excessively negligence in addressing the economic problem. This is unseen or unheard big reality. What makes these discriminations and differences inevitable, the debate has not been started yet.
Till when the hungry and sad teachers should be a victim of this work in progress and rehearsal ? 2 Lakhs and above private teachers and the same number of lecturers of different private colleges are asking these all representative questions to the concerned stakeholders.
Being compelled with the scenario and ongoing development, the agitation and movement have been started lately by some institutions working for the welfare of private teaching staff in some districts. It's a welcoming stance. The voices and need for private teaching staffs has come to the floor and street. The blaze of frustrations given birth by a hungry stomach could be dangerous and counterproductive to the government and other concerned stakeholders. We all need to assimilate reality and give immediate solutions to the dire needs and problems of private teaching staff from throughout the country.
