Kohima, Feb 25: Nagaland’s School Education Department has initiated an aggressive structural redesign of its management and governance systems to restore the credibility of public education. Announced by Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, Advisor for School Education and SCERT, on February 24, the reform move seeks to move beyond temporary fixes to address long-standing technical and structural flaws. Speaking at the inauguration of a new building for Government High School, Phezoucha, in Kohima’s New Secretariat area, Yhome emphasized that while the sector faces persistent challenges, the “system” itself is not fundamentally broken; rather, the way schools have been designed and administered over the decades requires a modern recalibration.
The heart of this transformation lies in a comprehensive three-pillar strategy designed to reposition government schools as competitive institutions. The first pillar prioritizes the strengthening of physical infrastructure, with Yhome noting that despite financial constraints, upgrading school buildings and campus environments is essential for raising academic standards and student morale. This foundational step aims to create a more learning-friendly atmosphere across the state, signaling a tangible commitment to reform that goes beyond rhetoric.
Simultaneously, the second and third pillars focus on governance, administrative efficiency, and systemic accountability. Key measures already being implemented include stricter monitoring of teacher attendance, enhanced human resource management, and better field-level coordination. A significant part of this administrative tightening involves the rationalization of institutions through school mergers and amalgamations, a move intended to reduce duplication of resources and ensure more efficient operations. By streamlining the workforce and the institutional map, the department aims to create a more transparent and lean governance model.
This shift represents a broader effort to rebuild trust among stakeholders, including educators, administrators, and community members who have consistently highlighted the system’s previous shortcomings. By focusing on both infrastructure renewal and rigorous administrative oversight, Nagaland’s education leadership is signaling that these reforms are not merely cosmetic. Instead, the department is committed to a systemic evolution designed to deliver measurable, long-term improvements to the state’s public education landscape.
