Coronavirus lockdown: Hyderabad teachers with MPhil, MBA degrees turn daily wage workers

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The coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown has affected the lives and livelihoods of many across India.

Case in point is Chiranjeevi K from Hyderabad, who, after being a high school teacher for 12 years, is now working as a daily-wage labourer, The Times of India has reported.

With the lockdown forcing schools to remain shut, and hence no salary in place, he has resorted to working as a labourer on a drought-related government project in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district.

Chiranjeevi, who holds three degrees — MA in social work, MPhil in rural development and a B Ed, believes that it is the only way to support his family of six.

His wife Padma, who is also a teacher in a private school, and holds an MBA degree, has joined Chiranjeevi. The couple has been toiling in the blazing sun as daily wage workers for the past one week.

The family’s collective income before the lockdown was Rs 60,000. Now, its zero.

Chiranjeevi and Padma are fortunately, or unfortunately, not alone.

Hundreds of teachers working in schools, junior colleges, degree and professional colleges in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have been forced to work as daily-wage workers. Most of them hold post-graduate degrees and have been teaching for at least half a decade, the newspaper reported.

“Until now, we have seen farmer suicides. At this rate, teachers will be next,” Chiranjeevi told the newspaper.

He said none of them had received their April salaries and were not getting ration despite having ration cards.

Many of the teachers complained that there are many educated people competing for jobs as daily-wage workers, accusing the state government of failing to support teachers.

A few of them have resorted to vending fruits and vegetables, but are too embarrassed to reveal it.

“Almost all teachers in the Telugu states are in the same situation. Some of them call teachers unions daily, requesting for help,” said P Mani, an English lecturer in a junior college in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, now cleaning lakes for Rs 250 per day.