Dimapur: Nagaland’s Lok Sabha MP, S Supongmeren Jamir, on Tuesday sought an explanation from the state education department on why private schools were performing comparatively better academically than govt schools.Stressing that foundational education must not be overlooked, Jamir urged the department to give equal importance to primary and elementary education.Addressing a meeting of the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) for Zunheboto district at the DC’s conference hall, he said private schools, despite having fewer facilities, limited staff and lower salaries, were producing better academic results. Govt schools, he said, had relatively better facilities and higher salaries but continued to face challenges in academic performance.Jamir questioned the reasons for the disparity and said the issue was not confined to Zunheboto but was prevalent across Nagaland.The department acknowledged the gap and cited a shortage of subject teachers and other challenges affecting the functioning of govt schools.The meeting reviewed the progress of development activities and assessed the implementation of various govt schemes in the district.Jamir also urged all departments to prioritise the district’s developmental needs and ensure the effective implementation of govt programmes.He particularly emphasised the need to improve the standard of education in govt schools. The meeting also discussed the timely distribution of free textbooks and school uniforms.Officials said delays in the supply of textbooks were creating difficulties for students and stressed the importance of ensuring that learning materials reached schools before the start of the academic session.Concerns were also raised over the distribution of ready-made uniforms, which often did not fit students properly.The issue of teacher rationalisation was also discussed, with participants suggesting that the concerned block education officers be consulted to ensure a more effective and balanced deployment of teachers.
