Nagaland has made remarkable progress in education! Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio announced that the northeastern state is now the third most literate in India, with a literacy rate of 95.7%. That’s just behind Kerala and Mizoram, and a huge jump from just over 21% when Nagaland became a state in 1963.
Speaking at a Teacher’s Day event in Kohima, the Chief Minister praised the hard work of teachers, education experts, and policymakers who have helped improve education across the state. Today, Nagaland has 2,734 schools, over 32,800 teachers, and more than 4 lakh students going to school.
He also talked about new initiatives like the School Leadership Academy of Nagaland (SLAN), launched in 2023, which is focused on training teachers and developing school leaders. The state is working closely with the central government’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to bring more reforms.
One of the major steps is the upcoming launch of the SOAR Mission, a program aimed at upgrading curriculum, teaching methods, student assessment, and school management to meet global standards. Nagaland is also creating a new regulatory body called the Nagaland State School Standards Authority (NSSSA) to ensure schools meet quality benchmarks. Alongside this, the draft of the Nagaland School Quality Assessment and Assurance Framework (NSQAAF) is being prepared.
In addition, the state plans to introduce music education at the elementary level, teaming up with the Department of TaFMA. This will give young students exposure to a world-class music curriculum and encourage creativity. Promoting mother-tongue-based education is another priority. Nagaland is working with Nagaland University to develop tribal languages, train language teachers, and produce literature in local languages.
Chief Minister Rio emphasized the importance of nurturing curiosity, critical thinking, and compassion among students. His goal is to help children grow into responsible citizens, leaders, and kind human beings. To honor these efforts, 13 teachers received the State Teachers’ Award, and four schools were recognized for excellence in school safety.
Nagaland is clearly on a strong path towards providing quality education for all its children!
