Advisor Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome calls for rebuilding Naga pride in education system

DIMAPUR — Tetso College, in collaboration with the Department of School Education, hosted a one-day state-level event titled ‘Dr. PS Lorin Education Conclave 2025: Enhancing academic capabilities for a changing World’ on Saturday as part of the annual Dr. PS Lorin Lecture Series.

Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, advisor, School Education and State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), attended the inaugural programme as the special guest, according to an update.

The conclave aimed to bring together school principals, senior teachers, students, and education stakeholders from across Nagaland to engage in meaningful dialogue, build capacities, and spark academic innovation.

It served as a platform to exchange knowledge, discuss pressing education issues, and explore strategies to navigate the rapidly evolving educational landscape shaped by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Kvulo Lorin, chairman of Tetso College, highlighted the importance of collaboration among educators in the state to enhance the quality of education.

He also announced that Tetso College would offer full scholarships to two government school Class 12 graduates to pursue higher studies in the college, along with a monthly stipend.

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Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Yhome outlined a vision for a reformed education system rooted in Naga identity while highlighting persistent challenges of perception and curriculum.

He stated that the school education sector in Nagaland is currently undergoing a major transformation backed by a substantial investment of approximately INR 9,400 crore. Despite this financial commitment and the state's ranking as the third most literate in India, Dr. Yhome pointed to a critical issue—a lack of public esteem for government schools.

"A perception problem exists towards our government school students, teachers, and graduates. This needs to change," he said, identifying this shift in attitude as crucial for progress. The advisor argued that the core of the issue lies in the system's design. "Since our system design is wrong, we need to rebuild Naga pride with a sense of responsibility in our education sector," he asserted.

He emphasised that a key part of this rebuilding is embracing Nagaland’s unique culture. Recalling his own school education, he noted that it was dominated by topics pertaining to other states, leaving local identity sidelined. He underscored the importance of the "communitarian spirit" and the "mosaic of culture" that defines the Naga people. Calling the Northeast a region "endowed with creativity", Dr. Yhome concluded that the education system must enhance and promote this innate talent, weaving it into the fabric of learning in Nagaland.

The first panel discussion, titled ‘Exploring the shift in academic interests of Naga students: Opportunities and challenges’, analysed the prevailing academic trends in the state. Moderated by Dr. Wapangsenla Imchen, associate professor of management at Tetso College, the panel featured Nellayappan B (officer on special duty to the chief minister and deputy director, Department of School Education), Dr. Sedevi Angami (director, Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research, Dimapur), and Dr. Mary N Odyuo (associate professor, agricultural extension education, School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University).

Dr. Hewasa L Khing, principal of Tetso College, served as the discussant. The discussion centred on the observed preference among Naga students for traditional humanities courses over emerging vocationally orientated fields such as management, computer sciences, and mass communication.

A talk on ‘Purposeful pedagogical innovation’ was also held on the theme ‘Innovation begins with clarity: Instructional practice grounded in learning outcomes’. The session, moderated by Renthunglo Shitiri (head of the English department and PGT, Delhi Public School, Dimapur, and writer), featured resource person Initoli Vinito Chishi (education consultant and curriculum, pedagogy and assessment specialist, Nagaland Education Project – The Lighthouse, Department of School Education).

The core message emphasised that true innovation in teaching is not merely about using new tools but must start with a clear definition of desired learning outcomes. The discussion focused on aligning instructional methods and classroom practices with specific goals to ensure effective and meaningful learning.

The second panel discussion, titled ‘Innovating under pressure: Lessons from government and private school leaders’, was moderated by Asalie Peseyie (founder, Infinity Inc. Nagaland). The panel featured Nini Sekhose (ex-officio advisor of ANPSA Central), P Aienla Longkumer (principal, Government Higher Secondary School, Singrijan), and Sashi Imchen (academic director, Maple Tree School, Dimapur).

Drawing on real-world experiences, the discussion explored how school leaders employ creativity, resilience, and adaptive leadership to overcome challenges. The session highlighted practical strategies for collaborative problem-solving and sustaining educational quality amid various constraints.

It aimed to explore how adversity can be transformed into opportunity, fostering a culture of shared learning and innovation across Nagaland’s schools.

Meanwhile, parallel workshops on personality development and career choices for school students were also conducted. Loyola Higher Secondary School, Jakhama, emerged as the winning team of the group discussion titled ‘Ready for a career: How can schools help?’