Nagaland to Implement NEP 2020 in Schools Starting Next Academic Year : Valley Vision

KOHIMA: The Nagaland State Level Education Committee (SLEC) has decided to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 for both government and private schools in the state from next academic year, an official said. The SLEC also decided on upgradation, downgrading, amalgamation of government schools and mandatory prior permission for establishment of private schools in the state.
The decisions were taken during the SLEC meeting held recently under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio, who is also the Minister-in-charge of School Education and SCERT and Chairman SLEC, stated a meeting minutes issued by the School Education Department on Friday.
The committee approved the proposal for implementation of the new 5+3+3+4 structure as outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 for both government and private schools starting from the academic year 2025.
The SLEC while approving the proposal for bringing out Nagaland Education Service decided that a committee would be constituted to work out the modalities.
The SLEC also approved the proposal for mandatory requirement for private schools to obtain prior permission from the Education department before establishment of school and that all private schools should function under aegis of respective registered societies.
It approved up-gradation of six government middle schools (GMS) to government high schools (GHS) in Kohima, Dimapur and Mon districts and also passed the upgradation of government primary school (GPS) at Ikishe village to GMS.
They meeting also approved amalgamation of middle classes of 16 GMS with 16 GHS and re-named the amalgamated schools as GPS. It also accepted amalgamation of 20 GPS and GMS to GMS and GHS.
The SLEC also passed for closure of at least 17 GPS with zero enrolment, including nine in Peren district, two each in Wokha and Zunheboto districts and one each in Chumoukedima, Phek, Mon and Tuensang districts.
The SLEC decided that the teachers posted in these schools would be redeployed to the nearby schools. It also approved down-gradation of 54 GMS to GPS due to zero enrolment or for having only one student enrolled in classes 6, 7 and 8. Zunheboto district has highest 15 such schools, followed by Peren at 12, six in Kiphire, five in Wokha, four each in Mon and Phek, three in Chumoukedima, two each in Niuland and Tuensang and one each in Dimapur and Kohima districts.
The graduate teachers currently posted in these schools would be redeployed to other schools, it said.
Down-gradation of 13 GHS to GMS due to zero enrolment in classes 9 and10 – four each in Kiphire & Zunheboto districts and one each in Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Peren and Phek districts. However, the SLC notified that these schools would be reviewed for up-gradation on improvement in the enrolment of students in the GMS while the excess teachers in these schools would be redeployed to other schools with shortage of teachers.
The SLEC also approved the proposal for conversion of vacancies of various categories of posts under the establishment of Directorate of School Education into other categories on need basis for which a committee would be constituted to study and take up the matter with the Personnel and Administrative Reforms and Finance Departments for further action.
It has also decided to set up the State School Standards Authority (SSSA) and formulate the Nagaland State Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework (SQAAF).