Nagaland will host a Northeast education conclave bringing eight states together to discuss NEP 2020 implementation challenges and strategies
DIMAPUR — Eight Northeast states will come together in Chümoukedima this week to take stock of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and identify common challenges, with the outcomes expected to be placed before the Centre for consideration.
Nagaland will host a two-day regional education conclave on September 18 and 19 at JP Parks and Banquets, Naga United village, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. The theme is “Implementation of NEP 2020: Vision, Challenges and Opportunities”.
Announcing the conclave in Dimapur on Thursday, Minister for Higher Education and Tourism Temjen Imna Along said that education ministers from five Northeast states, along with delegates from all eight states, are expected to participate.
The conclave will seek to develop a regional roadmap for implementing NEP 2020, with states sharing their progress, challenges and approaches.
Officials said that the exercise is also expected to result in task lists and action plans and strengthen coordination among institutions across the region.
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Along acknowledged that implementing the policy remained challenging, particularly in areas such as accessibility, teaching quality, research, innovation and infrastructure. He admitted that the state education systems remained under-resourced and that NEP 2020 itself calls for a significant increase in funding.
“Funding has to be increased, but how the funds will be generated is another question,” he said, adding that governments should invest more in education without placing an undue burden on students.
The minister also stressed the need for greater decentralisation in education, including devolution of powers to states and institutions and better coordination between different levels of government.
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Joint Director of Higher Education Dr. Medongdi R Rhakho said that most states in the region, including Nagaland, began implementing NEP 2020 from 2023, although the pace and approach have differed.
He explained that the conclave would allow states to present their current status, exchange experiences and identify common challenges. The findings would subsequently be documented and placed before the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) during its review of NEP implementation.
Additional Secretary V Lovitoly Sema shared that around 36 officers from the Northeast were expected to present their respective states’ implementation status. Between 300 and 400 participants from government and private schools, colleges and universities in Nagaland are also expected to attend.
Secretary of Higher and Technical Education Sarita Yadav said the challenges faced by the states should not be viewed as failures but addressed collectively by identifying gaps and working towards solutions.
Along also said that the conclave would highlight issues specific to hill states, including scattered populations and challenges in improving the gross enrolment ratio, particularly in higher and technical education.
He maintained that infrastructure and transparency in Nagaland’s education sector had improved with support from the state and Central governments, while several initiatives, including the upgradation of polytechnics, were under way. The government is also pursuing the establishment of an engineering college at Khelhoshe Polytechnic.
According to him, the conclave would provide the Northeast an opportunity to articulate its specific education needs and challenges while working towards a coordinated approach to NEP 2020 implementation.
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