The Ao Students’ Conference (AKM) issued a press release today voicing out their disapproval of the recent rationalization of teachers in the state which it claims has “created a rather obnoxious environment especially for the students”.

The AKM stated: “it is clearly evident that the government has conducted the rationalization exercise without proper consultation, verification and scrutiny.”

It further pointed out that the “inappropriate and/or disproportionate posting of teachers in schools” has led to a situation where some schools have excess teachers while many others are functioning without adequate subject teachers. Some schools have even hired private teachers sponsored by the community, the AKM claimed.

According to the AKM, the government is “not willing to face” the “irrefutable truth” that there is an acute shortage of teachers in many government schools across the state.

It stated: “The government has again slyly assented to the demands of the Tzurangkong Kaketshir Mungdang by issuing the recent redeployment order, Dated Kohima the 26th Oct 2022, Order NO.FD/RATIONALIZATION-3/2019, of the Directorate of School Education, Government of Nagaland, wherein a certain teacher has been deployed to two different schools at once.”

In the press note, the AKM states its support of the Tzurangkong Kaketshir Mungdang to demand the immediate deployment of adequate teachers for government schools.

“AKM urges the Government of Nagaland to look into the ‘rationalization policy’ rationally and professionally without entertaining any political actors and vested interests as the future of the state and the nation at large is dependent on the teachers and their students,” ended the press note.

On 25 October, the Tzürangkong Kaketshir Mungdang (TKM) had closed all government schools and Educational Block Research Centres (EBRC) under Tsürangkong range for an indefinite period over the issue of inadequate teachers.

Chungtiayimsen village had to hire private teachers to make up for inadequate teaching staff in the government school.

The student body had also earlier served a 15-day ultimatum on 10 October to the Principal Director of School Education Nagaland to deploy adequate teachers to the government schools of Tsürangkong range under Mokokchung District.

AKM president Nungdokyanger spoke to Nagaland Tribune on the issue where he mentioned that the villages of Longpayimsen, Medemyim and Chungtiayimsen of Tsurangkong range and the villages of Aonokpu and Yajang A of Japukong range under Mokokchung district have hired private teachers because there are not enough teachers in their government schools.

The villages have been paying the fees for the hired teachers, he added.

The government should be serious about the welfare of the students as education is the top most priority – Nungdokyanger, AKM president.

Nungdokyanger said schools have been greatly affected by the rationalization policy of teachers in which the transfer of teachers is made mandatory and do not suffice the need of the schools but rather failed to provide teachers thereby leaving shortage of teachers.

Although the rationalization policy of teachers is a process which solely aims at resolving the issue of surplus teachers in various schools, it is not seen to be as such in practice, the AKM president said.

The government should be serious about the upliftment and the welfare of the students as education is the top most priority, he stressed.

He also said the government should particularly focus on the government schools as most villagers send their children there, and on the primary level of schools so that students receive good basic foundation early on in their education development without any hindrances.

“Though our government have said that the state [has] enough teachers, some schools in many parts of the state still face shortage of teachers,” he said, adding that the issue of teacher shortage is a reality which can be seen through the various agitations held by students on this matter.

“If the government wants to improve the education system in the state, they must be very thorough and sincere in their work,” Nungdokyanger said.