Schools in Kerala reopened on June 1 after being shut for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While the reopening of schools brought joy for children, it brought nothing but humiliation for a group of teachers. At least 50 teachers in the state have been forced to take up the role of a part-time or full-time sweeper.
These teachers taught in Multi Grade Learning Centres (MGLC) in the tribal areas and were among the 344 teachers who lost their jobs after these centres were shut down by the government on March 31.
National award-winning teacher K R Usha Kumari is among the group of teachers forced to work as sweepers in schools. Usha Kumari has more than a dozen state and national awards for her impeccable service as a teacher, providing education to tribal students at an MGLC in Kerala. In a cruel twist of fate, Kumari will now clean the premises of the PSNM Government Higher Secondary School in Peroorkada, Trivandrum.
In an interview with The New Indian Express, Kumari talked about her heart-wrenching tale. “Maybe, it’s my fate. Two months ago, when I was teaching tribal students at the MGLC at Kunnathumala on the Amboori hilltop, I was holding chalk and a duster. After submitting the joining letter, I located the cleaning stuff first in the office room,” Kumari was quoted as saying.
Even though Usha Kumari has been deprived of her dignity, the 54-year-old doesn’t mind taking up the job of a sweeper. “My children have been urging me not to take up the sweeper role. But I don’t have any qualms as I wish to be on my own feet. My only request to the state government is to give us a full pension and also change our designation to senior assistant. Despite putting in 23 years in service as an MGLC single teacher, they will consider only my current role as sweeper grade for six years,” Usha Kumari further added.
However, all is not lost as the Kerala State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) has registered a case in the incident.
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