Advisor for School Education and SCERT Kekhrielhoulie Yhome on Tuesday said the government has limited options to act if the community is unwilling to keep Government High School (GHS) Longkhum in Mokokchung functional, as the institution continues to remain closed over a dispute with landowners.
Interacting with media in Kohima, Yhome said several schools in Nagaland, including GHS Longkhum, were established through community participation, often involving land donations linked to Grade IV appointments. However, he stated that such arrangements “cannot be treated as perpetual entitlements.”
The school has remained closed since February after landowners halted its functioning following a dispute related to the appointment of multi tasking staff. Terming the issue as “legacy issues,” Yhome said that if the impasse continues, the government would be compelled to withdraw teachers posted at the school.
He also informed that the option of shifting the school to Alichen is under discussion if the community of Longkhum does not wish to continue with the institution.
The closure of GHS Longkhum traces back to a long-standing claim by landowners that the land for the school was donated in 1961 with an understanding that Grade IV posts would be allocated to members of the landowning families. The arrangement continued until 2023, when the existing staff retired.
Following this, the landowners sought appointment of their nominees to the vacant posts. However, the government initiated an open recruitment process, prompting the landowners to halt the functioning of the school from February 27.
The prolonged closure has affected over 50 students, with classes being conducted in makeshift spaces under inadequate conditions. Student bodies, including the Ao Kaketshir Mungdang and the Longkhum Students’ Union, have sought intervention from the authorities to resolve the issue and restore normal academic activities.