Mughatoli Awomi
5th Mile Dimapur
The pandemic has already taken a toll on our lives, but wait there is more to it. Some people just want to make their staff's lives miserable. I was listening to stories from some teachers. One of the teachers said, “we have not received our salary for the last three months, despite taking online classes, though it was a new thing for us, also, our Principal said that we will only receive a half salary”. Another teacher from another school, she said, “When we don’t go to the school during the lockdown imposed by the government, our salaries are deducted”. So, my question comes, is there any responsibility from the institute towards their staff, who has worked for more than a decade, shaping and moulding students in their institute? And when this time of pandemic comes You start giving just half the salary, even though you have taken full admission fees way before the pandemic was declared and are still taking full monthly fees by just giving an exception for one month. Why are you trying to cut the salary of the teachers, who works more virtually than they did in real classroom teaching?
You should pay more, and I tell you why? You should pay more for the personal data they use for taking online classes;You should pay more for the digital gadgets—equivalent to teaching aids—they use for the class;You should pay more because to teach online was something they didn't sign for yet are teaching out of their comfort zone because of the concern they have for their students;You should pay more because they come to school despite of the rising cases of coronavirus, risking their lives; You should pay more because online teaching takes more of their time and you know better why. If not more, please don’t give half. At least, pay what they signed for because it is your responsibility and your duty. Life has become very hard, please don’t make it harder by giving half salary and by giving their salary late. Take care of your staff, they look at you with hope and stay silent with fear. Be emphatic—you have to be genuine if your deducting also, not like, you take fees from the students (excluding just a month or two) and then paying half salary to the teacher.
Lastly, I appreciated those who are taking care of their staff by not deducting salaries and those who have waive the fees for number of months reducing the burden of the parents in such hard times. You’re a true leader—you took the whole financial burden on your shoulder. Congrats.
