Achumbemo Kikon urges Naga youths to embrace dignity of labour and explore career opportunities beyond government jobs
NEA flags 71,034 registered job seekers in Nagaland, calls for a shift towards job-creating education and skill-based training
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KOHIMA — Advisor for SCERT and Food Processing, Achumbemo Kikon, has urged Naga students and educated youths to embrace the dignity of labour and pursue professions of their choice without considering any occupation as being beneath their dignity.
Stressing that every form of labour carries dignity and that there is no shortcut to survival, Kikon said academic qualifications alone do not determine a person's worth, as long as one earns a livelihood through dignified work.
He was speaking at the National Education Day 2026 programme organised by the Nagaland Education Association (NEA) in collaboration with the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) on the theme, “Education for Employability and Social Transformation,” at the conference hall of SIEMAT, Directorate of SCERT, Kohima, on Wednesday.
Kikon observed that although Nagaland has a high literacy rate and produces a large number of graduates with multiple degrees, it remains important to examine whether the education system is producing individuals who contribute to society or becoming a liability to it.
He expressed concern that the ultimate objective of education in the Naga context appeared to be securing government employment, stating that this mindset was where the system was going wrong.
The Advisor said the issue required collective introspection and called for necessary corrective measures in the curriculum and syllabus to ensure that the education system keeps pace with changing times.
He also urged stakeholders to come forward with suggestions for improving education policies and guiding the government.
Highlighting the growing influence of artificial intelligence, Kikon expressed concern over students increasingly relying on shortcuts and information obtained through social media instead of acquiring comprehensive knowledge.
He said incomplete information often led students to spread half-knowledge without understanding the subject in its entirety, ultimately having a negative impact on society.
Meanwhile, NEA president Bweyhunle Khing highlighted the growing challenge of educated unemployment in Nagaland, stating that the latest survey report showed that 71,034 job seekers were registered with the State Employment Exchange.
Of these, she said, an estimated 65% to 80% of unemployed youths were educated, while approximately 92% of the educated unemployed in the state had not received skill-based or vocational training.
Khing said many young people completed their graduate and postgraduate studies with the expectation of securing government jobs. However, limited government employment opportunities could not accommodate all qualified candidates, leaving many unemployed despite their academic qualifications.
She said it was high time to re-examine and review existing education policies and practices through a thorough investigation into the factors contributing to educated unemployment in the state.
According to Khing, the education system had produced a large number of graduates and postgraduates who continued to line up for government jobs, while failing to adequately recognise students' diverse talents and provide relevant skill-based training.
To address the growing problem, she called for a shift from a job-seeking education policy to a job-creating education policy.
She further emphasised the need to encourage students to acquire marketable and practical skills alongside academic knowledge to improve their employability and prepare them for alternative career opportunities.