Hyderabad: Teachers in the soup as schools go online

Hyderabad: As many schools have tied up with online apps to deliver online classes in this academic year, a majority private teachers are out of work. Schools, especially the budget ones, are using services of just 20-30 per cent teachers to run virtual classes.

Teachers said that even as the online classes have begun, the school managements are not asking them to resume duty. A few schools have not started online classes for the high school students.

The school managements say online apps are affordable against paying many teachers. "About Rs.10,000 a year we get access to online apps. Due to this 10-20 per cent teachers are unemployed, but we do not have any choice," said Y Shekhar Rao, Telangana Recognised School Management Association.

Highlighting the impact it had on teachers careers, many have chosen alternative career options or have joined other sectors, like labour work, tea stall work and sales jobs.

Pointing out her problems associated with online classes owing to Covid, Siromani, a high school Telugu teacher, lamented: "Even in the last academic year, they did not call us. The schools said they only require 30 per cent teachers to run schools. So they have not called me back this year too. My school and many other schools have been using online apps to impart knowledge to students."

She added the school does not have funds to pay salaries, which made the management to opt for online apps, leaving her with no income. Siromani said she is waiting for an alternative choice to earn. "The situation will continue unless schools start using all teachers for conducting online classes".

R Sujatha, a Biology teacher of a private school, has been waiting for the management to ask her to join, but has lost hope. She is financially dependent on her family. " My school is continuing with online apps, like Eduzone, since last year and has not asked us to resume online classes."

She added that the other reason for teachers not resuming duty is a mammoth number of students dropping out of this academic year.

The Telangana Private Teachers' Forum said: "Around 30 per cent of schools are unable to recruit a single teacher to conduct online classes. Hence, unemployment among teachers is high. Adding to their woes, teachers complain they have not received government financial aid in June.