Nagaland CM unveils SOAR Mission, announces education reforms on Teachers’ Day

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio announced a series of transformative reforms to align the state’s education system with national and global standards, marking Teachers’ Day celebrations in Kohima.

At the centre of the reforms is the launch of the SOAR Mission (Systems for Outstanding Achievements and Reformation), a flagship initiative aimed at improving teaching quality, assessment standards, and school management practices. Rio also announced the formation of the Nagaland State School Standards Authority (NSSSA), in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, to ensure regulatory oversight and quality standards across schools.

Supporting this framework, the Nagaland School Quality Assessment and Assurance Framework (NSQAAF) will soon be finalised. Other initiatives include mother-tongue-based education in collaboration with Nagaland University, certification of language teachers, and the integration of music education at the elementary level with support from the Department of TaFMA. The government also plans to strengthen foundational education through convergence with the Department of Social Welfare.

Highlighting Nagaland’s literacy achievements, Rio said the state now ranks third in India with a literacy rate of 95.7 percent, a sharp rise from 21.95 percent at the time of statehood in 1963. He credited this to the contribution of teachers, policymakers, and education leaders. The CM also noted Nagaland’s favourable pupil-teacher ratio of 13:1, well above the national average.

He praised the School Leadership Academy of Nagaland (SLAN) for earning national recognition for two consecutive years and urged educators to embrace leadership development and in-service training. Calling teachers the “backbone of society,” Rio urged them to nurture curiosity, compassion, and critical thinking among students.

Advisor for School Education and SCERT, Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, underlined infrastructure, governance, and pedagogy as the three pillars of transformation, stressing that “no child should be left behind.”

The Teachers’ Day programme also saw the felicitation of 13 teachers for their outstanding contributions. Awards for Excellence in School Safety Policy Compliance were presented to Government Middle School Dobagaon, GMS Naga New Model Sumi, St. Joseph School Tuensang, and The Vineyard Kohima.