The School Education Department in Nagaland has always been regarded as one of the most corrupt departments but the Advisor of the department, Dr Kekhrie Yhome, admitting that the department is in a “total mess” came as a bit of a surprise. The element of surprise here is not that the department was found to be a total mess, but that the Advisor said it himself on TV! Not many Naga legislators would be courageous enough to admit like how Yhome did. He also said the other day that the department has become a huge liability to the government exchequer. He was referring to the more than Rs 1700 crore the state government spends annually on the department’s staff and teachers. It can be deduced that he was trying to say that the output in terms of performance by government schools as compared to private schools is negligible after spending that much money.
Many observers are appreciating the Advisor for his bold and honest admission and he has apparently won the support and admiration of many, including political opponents. More importantly, he has won the trust of the people. The Rising People’s Party and the Congress party have both appreciated the Advisor. Likewise, many citizens have expressed their appreciation to the Advisor on various social media platforms. Advisor Yhome is a new face in state politics without taint, is a former educator himself, and is a good communicator. These qualities plus his courage to admit the truth about the School Education department have won him the respect today. The series of policy changes that he has announced are likely to contribute positively to the transformation of the School Education Department in Nagaland. Of course, it will take years to reform the whole system but it has to begin somewhere and this is where it begins, hopefully.
Meanwhile, it must be remembered that one person alone cannot change the system. The incumbent Advisor is perhaps the right person for the right job but he would still need the support of all stakeholders. As such, the civil society – especially the student bodies – as well as the staff and teachers should all join the Advisor in this transformative exercise. Moreover, the corrupt political class should not interfere in the affairs of the department like they have always done. Then, possibly, transformation of the education system in Nagaland could become a reality.