Left confused, schools in Nagaland continue to remain opened on Saturdays

KOHIMA — The recent announcement made by the advisor of School Education and State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, on closure of regular classes on Saturdays has left school administrations and parents confused.

Yhome had announced during the Teachers’ Day celebration in Kohima on September 5 that “Saturdays will be strictly observed as holidays. Teachers are not slaves — they cannot afford to spend six days a week teaching. They need time for their family”.

However, schools continue to remain opened on Saturdays and students attend regular classes as usual.

Speaking to Eastern Mirror, a member of the All Nagaland Private School Association (ANPSA) Kohima unit said that no further notice or directive has been issued regarding the discontinuation of classes on weekends after the recent announcement and that schools are following its calendar set for the year.

The member said that schools have been discussing the new development and are now targeting first and third Saturdays of the month to carry out its activities as there will be limited working days.

The ANPSA member also lamented lack of clarity regarding the announcement, pointing out that it came all of a sudden and no further notice has been issued by the directorate to change the school calendar.

An administrator of a prominent school in Kohima told this newspaper that the ANPSA has made a stance to continue classes on Saturdays until the state government officially notifies the educational institutions to implement the order.

Some school teachers, when asked to share their opinion on the recent announcement about the closure of schools on Saturdays, expressed their excitement, saying that they were looking forward to the official notification.

A teacher from Mon district shared: “I really wish it (no regular classes on Saturdays) would become mandatory because it’s really stressful especially for private teachers like us. No time to visit offices to do our paperwork and bank work as well.”

Modalities in progress

Meanwhile, Principal Director of School Education, Thavaseelan K, told this newspaper, when asked about the implementation of the recent announcement, that the department is working on the modalities and will notify soon.

Also read: MoS Balyan to launch PM Vishwakarma in Kohima on September 17