BHOPAL: School teachers have demanded that they should be included in the 'Corona Warrior' category, or else they will boycott the work given to them by the state government.
School teachers are combating corona shoulder to shoulder just as the frontline workers, health workers, police and others are doing. They have been put on duty on vaccination work, corona patients survey work and at the district and state border check-posts.
"Although teachers are put on duty on every front, they aren't provided with corona PPE kits or gloves. They're sent without being provided any safety gear. They take their lunch boxes along with them," said Jagdish Yadav, state convener of the School Teachersí Association.
He added that they were not afraid of doing their duty. When the teachers' lives are put to just as those of other corona warriors, why is the government hesitating to provide that status to them? Asks Yadav.
Being included in the 'Corona Warrior' category entitles the workers to get a sum of Rs 50 lakh in case of death
Death figures
According to the provisional data of the school education department, as many as 366 teachers have succumbed to corona till date. The highest number of deaths comes from Ujjain district, where 51 school teachers have died of corona. About 35 teachers have died in Chhindwara district, while 29 teachers have lost their lives in Sagar district.
The teachers also complain that the administration officers sit in their safe air-conditioned chambers, while teachers are pushed on to unfriendly terrain. The figures of death also demonstrate the fact as only 2 officials from the school education department have succumbed to corona in comparison to 334 teachers. In all, 11 school principals and 19 other school employees have died of corona.
Corona-afflicted
* As many as 1,809 teachers are corona afflicted at present and are undergoing treatment at various places
* Overall 259 teachers are under treatment from Bhopal districtóthe highest in the state
* In all, 180 teachers from Indore, 135 from Seoni, 110 from Ujjain and 106 from Chhindwara are under treatment
* The total 1809 under treatment figures include 1633 teachers, 80 principals, 73 other staff members and 23 officers
We wonít go to schools as long as students aren't allowed to attend schools. We'll remain at home and conduct our official duties from home only through online means. We'll continue to do so until we're included in the corona warrior category.Jagdish Yadav, state convener of the School Teachersí Association