Job security is something many people desire, especially in today’s time. But what if your job is secure, but your health and safety is in question? Which would you pick between - life or livelihood? 

 

The Hippocratic Oath hasn’t allowed health professionals to make that choice, especially throughout COVID-19. Doctors, nurses and other health professionals have been given the utmost respect for sacrificing their lives to fight this time, but this has resulted in other workers to be overlooked. 

 

Our education system has been working around the clock to ensure that progress is not at a standstill. From day-care, childcare, primary and high schools, colleges to universities, these education workers have been fundamental in stabilising the economy in 2020.  

 

To find out more, we interview two education-based frontline workers about their newfound experiences regarding their jobs during the global pandemic. Here in Australia, the majority of schools remained open during lockdown with the option for children to do online learning. As for childcare workers, this was not the case. Courtney Sim, a primary school teacher, opens up about the challenges faced with an online learning space, and how she managed to keep 27 kindergarten children alert whilst looking at a computer screen. And since childcare and day-care centres remained open throughout COVID-19, Mariam. Shafaat, a day-care owner, speaks to us about the balance around the fragility of infants and their inability to understand the restrictions and social distancing rules. Whilst the 1.5m rule didn’t apply to children, they were still expected to social distance, but how was this ever going to be possible?

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Duration: 6.00

 

GET IN TOUCH:

 

Feedback? We’d love some! Find us on @insideout2ser on Instagram, find this story on the account and comment below for a discussion or email us at insideout2ser@gmail.com

 

 

CREDITS:

 

Interviewers: Gemma Harland, Saher Rida Hashmi and Michael 

 

With thanks to our guests Mariam Shafaat and Courtney Sim