Just one day after Nagaland’s Advisor for School Education and the State Council of Educational Research & Training (SCERT), Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, stated that the ‘rationalization’ process of teacher transfers will proceed as planned despite opposition from various quarters, the Directorate of School Education has suspended the transfer orders of 1,650 government school teachers.
In a notification dated February 17, Principal Director of the School Education department, Thavaseelan K, announced that the orders issued on February 6 and February 10, 2025, regarding the transfer and posting of teachers, are now being kept on hold pending review.
On February 6, the department notified the re-deployment of 278 mathematics and science graduate teachers, followed by a notification on February 10 for the transfer and posting of 840 primary teachers, 341 graduate teachers, and 191 Hindi teachers as part of the rationalization process.
However, the implementation faced immediate backlash from several student bodies and organizations across the state.
‘Rationalization to balance teacher distribution across Nagaland’
Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of an event at Mengujuma village on Saturday, Yhome explained that the rationalization process is aimed at balancing teacher distribution across the state. Teachers are being reassigned from schools with surpluses to those facing shortages, especially in rural and underserved areas.
“We are committed to fairness in our approach, and while we understand the personal struggles of our teachers, the ultimate goal is to ensure that our students, in both rural and urban areas, receive the best possible education,” Yhome said.
He also admitted that though the process is simple in theory, it has faced hurdles due to personal challenges the teachers face, including health issues, family responsibilities, and the desire to stay closer to their home areas.
“There are teachers who are seriously sick, some terminally ill and others are caring for sick relatives. Some may never be able to return to their schools again,” Yhome said, explaining the humanitarian side of the issue.
Speaking on the opposition faced by the government after the issue of the notifications on rationalization, Yhome said that many teachers prefer to be posted in more accessible urban areas, leaving remote villages under-staffed.
Following the rationalization notification, various student bodies have also expressed serious concern and opposed the process saying it is irrational and unjustified. According to the student bodies, it would have far-reaching implications for the entire state.
The student bodies, while asserting that they support the rationalization policy, charged the department saying that this time the process has been done randomly without any groundwork, statistical reports, and without consulting the district authorities.
The advisor, however, acknowledged that the process is cumbersome and some teachers are not fully equipped to handle such changes swiftly.
“It’s going to take time to resolve these issues,” he explained.
Despite the difficulties, resistance, and opposition, Yhome assured that the rationalization process would continue as planned, with the “department revisiting cases where specific concerns or exceptional issues arise”.
“We’re not here to disrupt the lives of our teachers, but to help our students receive the best education possible, regardless of whether they live in urban or rural areas,” Yhome asserted.
(With inputs from PTI)