Advisor blames reservation policy for math, science teacher shortage in Nagaland

DIMAPUR — Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, Advisor for Education and SCERT, has said that the 33% reservation policy in recruitment of teachers is the reason for the shortage of math and science teachers in government schools across Nagaland.

He was speaking at the 50th anniversary celebration of Government School Sovima on Thursday at the school premises.

Yhome acknowledged that there is a shortage of math and science teachers in government schools. But the department cannot go for new recruitments because “there are lots of backlogs in the reserved quota,” he informed.

The advisor, who has cultivated a reputation for straight-talking, reminded that there is no quota system in the state for posting of teachers. He therefore requested representatives of the eastern districts to “let the so-called advanced tribes fill the post” if there are no qualified candidates from their region.

Otherwise, he warned that the shortage of math and science teachers will exist even after 10 years. He pointed out that even for the “so-called advance tribes,” if they are unable to fill the posts, the government brings in qualified math and science teachers from other states.

Citing the recent shutting down of 120 schools in the state, he said that they will pick teachers from those schools and post them where there are shortages. By the latest count, he informed, the department has posted 260 math and science teachers to different schools.

Yhome said that the practice of promoting teachers as administrators before their retirement should be discouraged and the youths be given the opportunity instead. He said that teachers who want to enter the education administration should first undergo training for at least seven years.

“Not undermining the present administrators who were promoted from teachers, but if they are asked to generate school-wise data, it will take them ages, and if asked about mechanisms, they will never be able to get data,” he said.

The advisor informed that out of the 1,939 schools in the state, more than 900 have an enrolment of less than three students. He also mentioned that there are some schools that need to be upgraded to higher classes, and the department is looking into it.

He informed that the department will start vocational education on honeybee keeping, through which students from both private and government schools can earn.

Sebastian Zumvü, chairman of Sovima Village Council, acknowledged the government for approving the upgrade of Sovima Government School to higher secondary. A brief history of GHS Sovima was shared by Neizotuonuo Kense.