Nagaland launches three-pillar reform to rebrand public schools

The Nagaland School Education Department has embarked on an aggressive restructuring of its school management and governance systems. The reform initiative, described as a structural redesign rather than a systemic overhaul, was announced by Kekhrielhoulie Yhome on Tuesday, February 24.

Speaking at the inauguration of a new building at Government High School, Phezoucha, in Kohima’s New Secretariat area, Yhome — who serves as Advisor for School Education and SCERT — asserted that while the sector faces persistent challenges, “there is nothing wrong with the system.” Instead, he pointed to long-standing technical and structural flaws in the way schools have been designed and administered over the years.

Acknowledging the credibility crisis confronting many government schools, Yhome said rebuilding trust requires both transparency and tangible reform. He appreciated stakeholders — including educators, administrators and community members — for consistently flagging shortcomings and working with the department to find solutions.

At the heart of the reform is a comprehensive three-pillar strategy aimed at rebuilding and rebranding the state’s public education system.

The first pillar focuses on strengthening physical infrastructure. While conceding that financial constraints may slow the pace of transformation, Yhome stressed that upgrading school buildings, improving campus environments and enhancing basic facilities are critical to creating a learning-friendly atmosphere. He described infrastructure renewal as foundational to raising both morale and academic standards.

The second pillar centres on governance and administrative reform. Measures include improved human resource management, stricter teacher attendance monitoring, stronger field-level coordination and rationalisation of institutions through school mergers and amalgamations. These steps, he said, are already being implemented in parallel to improve efficiency, reduce duplication and ensure accountability within the system.

The department’s recalibration signals a broader shift from piecemeal fixes to structural reform, aimed at repositioning government schools as credible and competitive institutions. With administrative tightening and infrastructure upgrades progressing simultaneously, Nagaland’s education leadership appears determined to signal that reform is not cosmetic but systemic — designed to deliver measurable improvement over time.