Three apex Ao organisations have given the Nagaland School Education Department a 45-day ultimatum to rationalise teachers across government schools in Mokokchung district and recruit subject teachers, warning of public and democratic agitation if no action is taken.
In a joint ultimatum addressed to the Commissioner and Secretary, Department of School Education, the Ao Senden, Watsü Mungdang and Ao Kaketshir Mungdang (AKM) said the department had failed to act despite receiving a detailed memorandum and a 27-page report on November 11, 2025, documenting acute teacher shortages and imbalances in staffing across 196 government schools in the district.
The organisations said the report clearly highlighted the uneven distribution of teachers and the severe shortage of subject teachers, particularly in Science, Mathematics and Languages, but alleged that no concrete action had followed.
Describing the department’s continued inaction as “unacceptable”, the organisations said it reflected a serious disregard for the academic welfare and future of students in Mokokchung district.
The organisations have demanded that the department complete the rationalisation of teaching staff across all government schools in the district and immediately recruit and deploy qualified subject teachers, especially in core disciplines, within 45 days of receiving the ultimatum.
They warned that failure to comply within the stipulated period would compel them to launch public and democratic forms of protest, holding the School Education Department responsible for any consequences arising from its inaction.
Among the findings highlighted in the report is the acute shortage of Ao language teachers. According to the organisations, only 18 of the district’s 196 government schools currently have appointed Ao language teachers, a situation they said threatens indigenous language education and the preservation of Ao cultural heritage.
The report also identified shortages of specialised teachers for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), frequent teacher training programmes disrupting classroom teaching, and delays in replacing retired teachers.
It further alleged that transfers influenced by ministers, MLAs and senior government officials have contributed to an uneven concentration of teachers in urban areas while rural schools remain understaffed.
The organisations also pointed to poor road connectivity and weak internet services in several ranges, including Japukong, Jangpetkong and Tzurangkong, saying these hamper both teaching and compliance with digital reporting requirements.
Other concerns raised include dependence on community-funded teachers to fill vacancies, ill-fitting school uniforms supplied to students, operational challenges in the Mid-Day Meal scheme, and technical issues affecting the Smile App used to monitor teacher attendance.
The report also argued that teacher deployment should be assessed based on classroom requirements rather than merely the teacher-student ratio, and recommended that teacher rationalisation be carried out only at the end of an academic session to avoid disrupting teaching.
Calling education the foundation of individual and societal development, the organisations urged the state government to take immediate corrective measures to improve staffing, facilities and educational opportunities across government schools in Mokokchung district.