Daily Times

The corona crisis is affecting common people at multiple levels. Education system, which was already not strong enough, is currently facing a number of challenges, due to which school staff is particularly suffering.

As the social and economic shutdown triggered by COVID-19 stretches into fourth month,

LACAS, a well-known private school with its campuses all over Lahore, has cruelly fired about 190 of its custodian staff workers ‘temporarily’.

“The fired staff also apparently includes certain teachers from some departments who are not considered ‘important’ in these times”, revealed a student.

The student fairly questioned that why these rich executives cannot take salary cuts or is LACAS’ management so stupid to not have any assets to spend off in times of need?

Another student spoke on condition of anonymity is quoted as saying: “As a school that has a mission of educating young people, their actions have defeated the mission of the school by traumatizing these hardworking people in these critical times of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

In many areas, schools are the largest employer and custodian staff, a majority of which is comprised of females, not being paid fully means a blow on local community’s economic stability.

Most of the employees are on job to earn a livelihood and support their families. This particularly includes female staff who are either single parent or have to contribute to the household to keep their family’s life going. Some of them are not earning a living wage, and to reduce that even further would create a severe financial crisis.

The provincial ministry of education and Private Schools Association must look into this matter on priority basis and keep a check and balance on private schools to avoid blatant violation of the government’s decision of not firing the staff in trying hour.