Government Higher Secondary School in Sungro and others in the area have been closed over acute teacher shortage.
The protest over a prolonged shortage of teaching and non-teaching staff at the Government Higher Secondary School in Sungro, Wokha, has taken an ugly turn. After days of sealing the institution in protest against inaction by the School Education department, students and Sungro Range civil society organisations have launched an indefinite agitation. The Lotha Middle Range Students' Union (LMRSU) on Monday announced the closure of all government schools under its jurisdiction and the office of the Sub-Divisional Education Officer (SDEO), Sanis, with immediate effect, citing the department’s apathy despite repeated representations and an ultimatum. Students alleged that they were often compelled to write examinations without completing the syllabus, as several teaching posts, including teachers for language, environment, and physical education, have remained vacant for years. But this is not an isolated case. In July this year, Mokokchung civil organisations issued an ultimatum to the School Education department, demanding the rationalisation of teachers, particularly for Science, Mathematics, and Languages across all government schools in the district. Last month, the Eastern Naga Students' Federation had warned officials against transferring teachers across the region without replacements. Then the United Sangtam Students’ Conference stated that government schools across Kiphire have a shortage of about 304 teachers, citing its field assessment. The list of schools facing staff shortages could be much longer than you might expect; the imbalance in teacher distribution is alarming across the state. Schools in urban and semi-urban areas are often overstaffed, while those in rural areas continue to grapple with acute shortages. This has persisted for decades, disproportionately affecting children in remote villages who need access to quality education more than their counterparts in towns and cities.
What we are witnessing in Sungro and several other schools today is not merely a temporary disruption caused by the transfer of teachers, but a glaring lack of political and administrative will to address the problem. It exposes deep-rooted corruption within the system. The government has stated that dozens of schools with poor enrolment have been closed and several others merged as part of the ongoing rationalisation exercise. While this is undoubtedly a much-needed step, such an exercise will not serve any purpose if it fails to address the underlying problems. Teacher transfers must be fair, transparent and guided by the actual needs of institutions. There must also be a systematic mechanism to ensure that vacancies are promptly filled whenever a teacher is transferred, retires or goes on prolonged medical leave. In the absence of such a mechanism amid the rampant practice of favouritism, an acute shortage in certain locations and high concentration in others is inevitable. Those with political connections or influence with officials are more likely to secure postings of their choice or get an early transfer. This is the ground reality. So, it is clear that much of this problem could be addressed if those in positions of power stop interfering in the rationalisation process and the transfer system.