Over 70% government schools in Kohima record attendance below 80%, prompting DEO to issue show-cause notices to heads.
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KOHIMA — Over 70% of government schools in Kohima district recorded attendance below the 80% benchmark in February 2026, prompting the District Education Officer (DEO) to issue show-cause notices to the heads of 117 schools.
According to official data from the Teachers Attendance Monitoring System (TAMS) Smart Attendance Management and Informative Leaves (SMILE) App, the schools fell short of the minimum attendance requirement.
As per data available on March 11, the DEO has directed the heads of the institutions concerned to appear before the DEO office in Kohima on March 17 and 18 to explain the low attendance.
The Annual Administrative Report 2025–26 of the department of School Education states that Kohima district has 164 government schools, including 85 government primary schools (GPS), 44 government middle schools (GMS), 26 government high schools (GHS), and nine Government higher secondary schools (GHSS).
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The figure may also include schools now falling under the newly created Tseminyu district.
Block-wise data
L Khel Kohima block recorded 36 schools below the 80% benchmark. GHS Phezoucha New Secretariat recorded the highest attendance in the block at 76.25%, while GMS Chandmari Lower recorded nil attendance. Dr. Neilhouzhu Kire GHSS Seikhazou registered 1.96%.
In Chiephobozou block, 34 schools fell below 80%. Four schools—GPS Diho Bawe, GPS Kijumetouma, GPS Zhadi Kimho and another entry for GPS Kijumetouma—recorded nil attendance, while several schools reported attendance below 10%.
Sechu-Zubza block recorded 23 schools below the benchmark. GPS Kiruphe (Peducha) topped the block with 77.50%, while GPS Dzulekie recorded zero attendance.
In Viswema block, 24 schools fell below 80%. GPS Khazama ‘A’ recorded the highest attendance in the block at 78.13%, while John GHSS Viswema recorded 11.84%.
The SMILE App, introduced statewide in February 2025, monitors attendance of about 18,000 teaching staff and 4,000 non-teaching staff across Nagaland.
No work, no pay
Meanwhile, the Directorate of School Education has directed all district education authorities and institutional heads in the state to implement the “No work, no pay” policy from February 1, 2026.
In a directive issued on March 10, Principal Director Shashank Pratap Singh stated that salary deductions for absenteeism recorded in February will be recovered from the March salary bill payable in April.
All establishments have been instructed to submit recovery challans along with employee details to the Directorate within seven days of salary release.