Before polling day many teachers were afraid that they would be exposed to the same risks as health works and deserved full PPE protection.

 

The authorities did not provide any special protective gear for all the teachers obliged to man the polling stations up and down the country. Now a tragic tale is emerging of more than 60 teachers who have contracted covid-19 infection so far, attributed to the November 8th election duties.

 

Dr. Zaw Myo Hlaing, Secretary of the MTF said: “Till November 27, the number of infected teachers has exceeded 60. The daily infection rate is around 10. So far, two teachers have died.”

Many other teachers are living in fear that they too will fall sick from covid-19 owing to the lack of PPE protection.

 

In the 2020 General Elections, around 200,000 teachers served as polling staff at the polling stations across the country.

According to the Myanmar Teacher’s Federation (MTF) the number of teachers infected with COVID-19 after performing the duties at the polling stations during the election has increased day by day.

The MTF is providing cash and kind for the infected teachers who served as the polling staff. In addition, the MTF extends a helping hand to the teachers who face charges after the elections.

 

On November 23, the infected teachers and teachers who face election-related accusations and charges can ask for the help from the MTF, Dr. Zaw Myo Hlaing added.

 

The officers from the Ministry of Education are also helping the teachers in solving election-related problems.

  

Till November 29, there have been 89,486 confirmed cases in Myanmar and 1,918 deaths, according to the figures from the Ministry of Health and Sports.