Kohima: Nagaland's School Education Department consumes roughly 25 percent of the state’s total salary and pension budget. Principal Director Shashank Pratap Singh revealed this fiscal strain on November 10 during the golden jubilee of Government Middle School, Midland. He noted that the state maintains this high cost despite private schools handling a large portion of the education sector.
Singh highlighted a clear disparity between education and other state sectors. He stated, "In the School Education department, we have a government player, and we have private players also. Whereas in other departments like the police department, Works and Housing, there is no private player." Central bodies like the 16th Finance Commission and NITI Aayog have pushed Nagaland to trim its wage bill. The state now faces a potential annual loss of Rs 4000 to Rs 5000 crore following recommendations to end the Revenue Deficit Grant.
Rationalization is coming. The department intends to merge primary and high schools to fix a fragmented network and reduce dropout rates. Singh clarified that teacher assignments depend on student enrollment rather than fixed sanctioned posts. Addressing the recent unrest at Government Higher Secondary School in Wokha, he dismissed complaints of teacher shortages as inaccurate. He pointed out that the school employed nine teachers for only five classes. Operations stalled briefly when two teachers took maternity leave without notifying officials.
Staff must work harder. Service rules mandate a minimum of four classes per day, yet some teachers at Sungro averaged only three. Singh directed principals and vice principals to enter the classroom during shortages. He also confirmed that GMS Midland will move to a new site to resolve overcrowding. The current 95/36-foot plot houses 200 pupils and shares space with a medical sub-centre. Once the move concludes, the health department will take over the old building. The state will also enforce strict biometric attendance via the SMILE app, with pay cuts for non-compliance.
Updated at 11th November 2026 at 1:47pm
Beyond just moving GMS Midland, officials want to transform the institution into a Government High School. The state has already acquired proposals from the Dimapur Deputy Commissioner to buy the adjacent plot of land for the project, though no firm timeline exists yet.
As for the SMILE app, the department has already equipped schools with dedicated tablets. The app includes an offline mode, allowing staff in remote areas to log attendance without an internet connection, provided they sync the data at least once every two weeks. Singh confirmed that pay deductions are already hitting non-compliant staff at the Directorate, and the department will soon drop the hammer on schools once the final disciplinary guidelines take effect.
Singh, who previously taught at Delhi University, also challenged school leaders to act as mentors rather than just administrators. He reminded staff that the 2017 service rules require teachers to devote extra time to students who need individual attention, framing the job as a duty to support and guide children beyond basic instruction.
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