Nagaland Targets 1,000 Students for National Education Reform Survey

Kohima: Nagaland is joining the One Million Voices movement. Advisor for School Education and SCERT, Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, announced on Thursday that the state will involve 1,000 students aged 12 to 25 to shape national education policies. This initial group might grow to 2,500 participants later. The Shiksha Graha effort aims to build a bottom-up approach to reform.

Yhome identified infrastructure, human resources, and curriculum development as core priorities. He admitted that some government school buildings haven't seen repairs since the 1980s. Despite this, he insisted, "students should not be made to wait for improvements in infrastructure to access quality education."

The department is pushing tech upgrades. Mission SOAR is currently testing AI education at GMS Forest Colony, GHSS Sovima, and GHSS Jotsoma. These pilot classes started two weeks ago. Future expansion depends on securing Chromebooks and reliable internet. Officials are now drafting safety protocols for AI use. To bridge gaps in remote areas, the state is seeking satellite connectivity partners.

The state also plans to address mental health by partnering with church organizations for pastoral counseling. Officials cited an aging teacher workforce as a hurdle. They hope to boost vocational training to align with local needs, as roughly 80 percent of Nagaland relies on agriculture. The curriculum will shift toward modern farming and indigenous knowledge. Findings from the initiative head to a national meet in Bengaluru next February.