COVID-19:Private Schools Owners,Teachers worry Over New Postponement of Schools Reopening
The proprietors and teachers of private schools in Nigeria have expressed their worry over the continued postponement of reopening of schools in the country. The federal government has kept all the schools in the country closed down to curb the spread of corona virus pandemic.
Investigation by Nigerian NewsDirect indicate that some private school teachers have looked for job in other sectors of the economy, many of them have commenced small businesses around them but majority of them are still languishing in lack.
"I have searched for job but I couldn’t get any, I was told they would get back to me but up till now, I have not heard anything", a private school teacher in a popular School in Sango Ota, Ogun State who does not want her name in print told Nigerian NewsDirect.
A private school proprietor, Mr. Afeez Akinsanya while interacting with the Correspondent, noted that the private school teachers are the most affected by the lockdown because they have no other source of income. The only way they can meet their daily need is through teaching which has been put on halt by the federal government due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Proprietors and Proprietress of schools are unable to pay their staff during the pandemic because no parent is paying them as well. Once the proprietors are not receiving anything, there is nothing to give out to their staff”,Akinsanya said.
The prolonged lockdown on educational sector was not prepared for by many private school owners. This has led them into a worrisome state as they never thought it will take so long before school could be reopened. “ We had thought the lockdown will just be for two weeks which is 14 days. Unfortunately, the lockdown is being elongated bit by bit” explained Akinsanya
Speaking on the aspect of teaching, Akinsanya made it known that the suggested e-learning cannot totally be a way out. When making the teaching online, not all the students will have access to the notes or even explanation. To support his point, he talked about some agent of hindrances that might make it impossible to achieve the main aim and purpose of the e-learning programme. Some of the hindrances cited by him include unavailability of electronic gadget and even fund.
"There is nothing the school can do to prevent the pupils and students from lagging behind in their academics. Most of the parents do not have a browsing phone for the suggested e-learning. Those who even have the phone might not have data on it” he said.
" E-learning would have been the easiest means of keeping the pupils busy at home during this extended lockdown but on whose account will the expenses be? The school or the parents? Proprietors of schools trying to send notes and exercise for the students online will make use of their own megabyte. Who is going to pay the proprietors when most parents are not ready to pay”.Akinsanya asked.
Speaking on the same issue with the news correspondent, Mrs. Franka Nwolisa of Frankdel international School located in Badagry stated: "the lockdown has more effect on the private school sector than the public schools because the proprietors and proprietress of private schools have been having the work load on how to cater for their staff. Not all schools can afford to pay their staff during the lockdown and schools that are doing this are paying through their savings. “ some sectors of the economy have been reopened by the federal government but schools are to continue with the lockdown. COVID-19 pandemic is real. Crowds are not expected to be around since it affects more when people are together that is why it has been said that we should maintain social distance, wash our hands with soap and water and wear our face mask”
"Both private schools and public schools have been closed but the weight is more on the private school because the individual, proprietors and proprietress have been having this work load on how to cater for their staff. Like my school, after the April salary, they are given half salary and we are paying this out of our savings” Mrs. Nwolisa explained.
In the same vein, Mrs. Nwolisa advised that teachers should plan on having other source of income to cater for their needs and that of their families. Teachers depending on school alone during this elongated lockdown will affect their family negatively".
With a similar view to Mrs. Nwolisa’s on the aspect of catering for the needs of private school teachers, another source who pleaded anonymous said the lockdown is being hard on private school teachers because not all schools are paying their staff and most of the ones that are paying are paying half of their salary. Speaking on the side of non teaching staff, she explained that nothing is being paid to them except they find themselves under proprietors or proprietress who are nice and can afford to give their non teaching staff something to cater for themselves.
"Looking at the monetary aspect of it, not all schools are paying their staff. Even if you find those that are paying, most of them are just paying half their salaries. If I should chip in for the non teaching staff, they are receiving nothing because they are not working. But, if you find school proprietors or proprietress that are nice, that is when you see the school proprietors giving them something to keep body and soul together” said the anonymous source.
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