Trinath & Sarthak Kanjilall
Port Blair, March 18: Although people in the entire globe are tensed of COVID- 19 impacts, around 200 guest lecturers serving in the various colleges in these Islands are more worried about their livelihood along with the COVID- 19 threat.
As per reports, after the immediate announcement of the closure of colleges till the 28th March 2020, following COVID- 19 issue, the guest lecturers in the Islands have gone jobless, atleast for few weeks.
“We understand it’s an emergency and we accept the decision of the administration of closing the colleges as a preventive measure towards COVID- 19 issue but as we are only paid when we work, now these many days of leave are going to hit out monthly budget badly. How will we manage to pay our rent, tuition fees of our wards, ration expenses etc?” Questioned a Guest Lecturer on condition of anonymity.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha, several Guest Lecturers requested the administration that it being an emergency situation, the administration must take cognizance of their problems and pay them for the unexpected holidays. After all they are not responsible for the crisis and they had committed themselves only to this job from the beginning of this session.
“Even when it is known that the Administration won’t pay us for these leaves we are still going to our respective colleges and performing duties like preparation of question papers, correction of test papers and clearing doubt of students over phone, whenever asked for,” said another Guest Lecturer.
The million dollar question is that when students won’t be marked absent because of these leaves why Guest Lecturers’ attendance won’t be considered for these forceful leaves.
