Unable to meet their fixed monthly expenditure amid the lockdown, at least 40% of the pre-schools and day-care centres in Ludhiana shut down over the last one year.
The schools had remained closed for almost 11 months due to the lockdown and had reopened in February this year, but the state government had to order another closure on March 13 in view of the surge in Covid-19 cases.
Before the lockdown in March 2020, the city had around 150 pre-schools. A large number of these pre-schools were situated in Dugri, Civil Lines and South City, and had to bring their shutters down as they were unable to meet the fixed monthly expenses. Many owners said that the exorbitant rent was the main impediment.
As per preschool owners, admissions usually begin in March or April but with the state government ordering another closure, parents are unwilling to pay fee for just online classes. The owners say that amid low enrolment, they are finding it difficult to pay the electricity and maintenance charges of the building or even the salaries of their staff.
Ludhiana Pre-school Association president Amanpreet Singh Arora, said, “We were hoping that the government would allow us to re-open the schools on April 11, but they announced another closure till April 30. This move will severely affect the admission process in preschools. The owners have to pay salaries to teachers and maintain the school building. If schools remain closed for another month, it will become difficult for them to remain in business and the teachers and maids working here will be rendered jobless.”
Ishneet Sharma, director of Childhood Kindergarten Playway School, Punjab Mata Nagar, said, “Last year, before lockdown, I had 70 children enrolled in my school but this year, we have only 18 students. I reopened the school on February 1 as per the state government’s orders and employed three teachers and three maids to take care of the children. But with another closure till April 30, it will be difficult to pay salaries to the staff. People who are running the pre-schools on rented properties are finding it difficult to meet the expenses as their income has been reduced to almost zero with parents refusing to pay for just online classes.”
{{/usCountry}}Ishneet Sharma, director of Childhood Kindergarten Playway School, Punjab Mata Nagar, said, “Last year, before lockdown, I had 70 children enrolled in my school but this year, we have only 18 students. I reopened the school on February 1 as per the state government’s orders and employed three teachers and three maids to take care of the children. But with another closure till April 30, it will be difficult to pay salaries to the staff. People who are running the pre-schools on rented properties are finding it difficult to meet the expenses as their income has been reduced to almost zero with parents refusing to pay for just online classes.”
{{/usCountry}}Working parents suffer
The closure of day-care centres and pre-schools has added to the woes of families where both parents are working. Most of them are not comfortable leaving their children with helps at home and want to enroll their kids in pre-schools. “But we have been turning them away as we are unable to keep the centres open amid such low enrolment,” said Sharma.
Sunil Kumar, a banker, said, “I have two kids and both have been staying in daycare centres. But with the centres closing down, we have no place to leave our kids. My wife and I have been working from home for the last few days to take care of the children.”
Teachers switch to other professions
Many of the teachers who lost their jobs have switched to other professions to earn a living.
Owners of preschools say it will now be difficult to get good teachers to take classes. Anju Kohli, a preschool teacher, said, “I had been working in a preschool for five years and was teaching pre-nursery classes. Due to the pandemic, our pre-school situated in Dugri closed down last month. Since I was left without a job, I started to teach dance online.”