A Call for Mercy: The fate of Private School Teachers during COVID-19

By Abu-Ammar

SHOULD THERE BE MERCY FOR US, WE CONTINUE TO GIVE THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE

Elementary school Lagos state.

Out of duress and a hope for mercy on us, I pitifully write on behalf of my fellow teachers across Nigeria, it's no longer news, the dreaded pandemic of coronovirus has necessitate the country for another yet, two weeks of lockdown and restrictions of social activities which impliedly show no time for resumption of school activities, thus, teachers of private school experience the most expensive life.

Some may see it a waste of ink and a noise for my impatient and restlessness to own a kobo, its neither the later nor excess desire for luxury life, but a call to salvage and bring out the lives of my fellow countrymen who dedicate their lives on nation building through private organisations.

Looking at how things are turning day-by-day, in a society where, one considers his stomach as the only organ that is responsible to be-fed, cannot expect an uppermost help of bringing out one's stomach from starvation and depression life could admits him to. Imagine, a private school teacher having mandatory loads of family needs in this phase of schools shutoff.

Selfishly parents are, for rewarding the person who struggles to see the best your child could be, with excess hunger and, tragedy of poverty, it syas " you reap what you sow" here I understand differently, for, the better seeds we sow are not what we are reaping.

We stand day and night, we work diligently in rain and/or during hot season, we sacrifice and minimise our needs to a one capable of discharging by the little we earned from the labor we agree ourselves to do, why rewarding us this way at this unbearable time?

If you (parents) resolved to teach us a lesson different from the one we know, the door is opened but the key to retaliation is definitely at our possession. Most parents are either businessmen or civil servants, it suffice you enough to believe that, only on the background of extortion one would owe a school some huge amount of money at this critical time, knowing that people awaits his payment for the sustenance of their lives. I therefore, passionately make, this appeal on our behalf, parents owing any school should please hurry and pay, Ramadan is giving farewell, put smile on our faces by paying us our right, we didn't ask you for a sallah gift or Ramadan package, but our ENTITLEMENT!

Nation building is never a crime, teachers and teaching should not be left unattended, we didn't call for wealth accumulation but we beg for what to eat and what to cater for our daily needs, we didn't expect a sumptuous life but we moderately chose to live easily, in order to liberate your children from their chain-of-ignorance.

Teaching is considered as the last resort, all authority concerned should not erroneously prove this wrong assertion, thus, teachers will easily opt out for second alternative, it is never a do or die affairs, but a service to our nation and a quest to see better society which we interestingly, tend to offer at a minor amount.

At this juncture, I want to implore Government at Federal and State level to include private school teachers in the palliative it used to give. Philanthropists too should please identify any private school teacher and help him out of this pain and discomfort.

Rich and people with opportunity should please utilise this period by giving out the little you have to those people around you, don't expect someone to beg you before you help him, begging is never a good thing. Your Zakat at this moment is paramount important to such category of people, save a life by giving the little you have. The small amount you undermine, the exact amount your neighbour prays to have. There's never a small amount, at this time.

I finally pray and ask Allah, the manager of the universe and all that exist; to bring succour to this pandemic and bless us with HIS jannah for the patience we exercise, during this hectic condition.

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