To hear the grievances faced by teachers and students, the Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) undertook an extensive tour in Eastern Nagaland jurisdiction from July 29 to August 7, 2024.
In a press release, ENSF vice president Nuheymong and assistant general secretary Kaibo Konyak said the initiative was driven by rising concerns about the state of education in the region and aimed to shed light on the pressing challenges affecting both teachers and students.
According to ENSF, the findings from the tour have brought to the forefront several critical issues that demand immediate attention and action including inadequate teaching staff, delayed salary, poor infrastructure, untimely release of student uniforms and textbooks and optimising teacher training programme.
Inadequate teaching staff: ENSF said that significant shortage of teaching staff in many schools across Eastern Nagaland was one of the most alarming findings from the tour. It stated that the shortage of teachers was a severe issue that impacted the quality of education and the learning experience of students.
The federation has appealed to the department and the state government to take immediate action to address the teacher shortages by initiating and expediting the recruitment process to fill those critical vacancies.
Delayed salary payments: Due to delay in salary payments of teachers, ENSF said many teachers were facing considerable financial hardship.
ENSF has strongly urged the department and state government to prioritize the timely disbursement of teachers’ salaries. It maintained that regular and prompt payment was essential for maintaining teacher morale and ensuring their financial stability.
Poor infrastructure: Highlighting severe issues with school infrastructure, the ENSF said most of the schools in Eastern Nagaland were operating in conditions that were far from normality. It said that lack of proper facilities such as adequate classrooms, sanitation, and learning resources created an environment that was not conducive to effective teaching and learning.
ENSF observed that many schools were in desperate need of infrastructural repairs and up-gradation. It said that addressing those infrastructural issues was vital for creating an environment where both students and teachers could thrive.
Untimely release of student uniforms and textbooks: The federation said that delay in providing student uniforms and textbooks was another major concern identified during the tour. It said that timely distribution of those essential resources was crucial for the academic success of students.
ENSF has, therefore, urged the authorities to streamline the processes for distributing uniforms and textbooks in time and ensure that students received those resources promptly. Optimize teacher training programmes: Federation also observed that the district-level and state-level teacher training programme were indirectly affecting students by disrupting regular classes.
It said that frequent and extended training sessions often resulted in reduction of allotted time slot of teaching, which negatively impacted learning experiences of students. ENSF stressed the need to balance professional development with classroom instruction by reducing the frequency and duration of training sessions. It said that more emphasis should be placed on maximizing time for class room teaching to ensure that students received continuous and uninterrupted learning.
The federation affirmed its commitment to advocating for the rights and needs of students and educators in Eastern Nagaland and continue to monitor issues closely and work with relevant stakeholders to seek solutions. ENSF urged all teachers in Eastern Nagaland to diligently perform their duties and responsibilities.