10,000 kindergarten teachers in Barishal unpaid for months
Teachers of kindergarten schools in Barishal have appealed to the government for financial support so that they are able to tackle the hardship they are facing due to Covid-19 pandemic.
In this regard, they submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner on May 3 through email, said Abdus Sobahan Bachchu, secretary general of Barishal Kindergarten Forum. The organisation includes teachers and founders of 350 such pre-schools in the division.
Due to the ongoing countrywide shutdown they had to close their educational institutions, he said, adding that as a result the teachers are struggling to survive.
Although the schools are not registered with the government, those play a significant role in the education sector, Bachchu said.
"Teachers are not getting salaries for around two months while the authorities are struggling to pay rent for school accommodations. The situation will worsen if the shutdown continues till September," he added.
Shefali Baroi (55), principal and founder of Merryan Child School on the city's Circular Road in College Row area, said, "Amid the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent shutdown, guardians are also not able to pay tuition fees, which is the only source of money to run such a school."
"Every month, I have to spend over Tk 2 lakh for rent of a three-storey school building, its utility bills, and salaries of 18 teachers and other staff," she said. "It's not possible for me to bear that without any source of income."
Das Gupta Asis Kumar, adviser of Bangladesh Shikkhak Samity, Barishal unit, urged the government for financial support.
Mosharraf Hossain, principal of Popular Academy in Charfashion area, said even though he wanted to, he cannot pay the teachers.
A teacher, who used to get Tk 5,500 from Nuria Kindergarten in Barishal city's Alekanda, said she is struggling to cope with the situation as her salary is pending.
Around 10,000 teachers are serving more than 1,000 kindergartens in the division where nearly one lakh students are receiving education, said Anowarul Haque, president of Barishal Kindergarten Forum.
Contacted, Barishal Deputy Commissioner SM Ajiar Rahman told The Daily Star on Thursday that he received the memorandum. "We will send it to the ministry concerned soon," he said.
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