Students of PM-Shri Government High School, Wokha Village. (File Photo)
Morung Express News
Wokha | February 24
More than 200 mainstreamed teachers under Wokha district are among the 2293 members of the Nagaland Government Teachers’ Association (NGTA) participating in the two-day pen-down strike that began on February 24.
The strike was called by the Nagaland Government Teachers’ Association (NGTA), comprising the erstwhile SSA and RMSA 2010 and 2013 batches, following the expiry of a seven-day ultimatum served to the Directorate of School Education (DoSE).
In Wokha district, more than 200 teachers fall under the mainstreamed batches. During the seven-day ultimatum served on February 16 to the Principal Director of School Education, no communication was reportedly received by the association.
As part of the protest, teachers are attending their respective schools but abstaining from taking classes and performing academic duties during February 24 and 25. The association has cautioned that if the matter remains unresolved, further peaceful and democratic forms of agitation will be initiated from February 26 onwards until their demands are addressed.
Loreni Ngullie, Assistant Headmistress of PM Shri Government High School, Wokha Village, informed that apart from regular classroom teaching, the school is currently engaged in a series of scheduled programmes that require active teacher participation.
A district-level programme, Prerna Utsav, is slated to be held at JNV Chukitong on Wednesday, followed by a Doordarshan documentary shoot in Wokha Village on Thursday involving the school. On Friday, Class 8 students are scheduled to undertake an exposure trip to Doyang Government Polytechnic, which necessitates teacher supervision.
She stated that with multiple activities lined up, the service of every teacher is vital, and ultimately it is the students who bear the brunt of the disruption. Eight teachers from her school are participating in the strike, significantly affecting the normal functioning of the institution. She further cautioned that if the agitation extends beyond the announced two-day period, the consequences for HSLC students could be serious, as the striking teachers are responsible for handling examination classes.
While acknowledging the long-standing grievances of the teachers, she appealed to the concerned authorities to address the matter at the earliest in the interest of the students, noting that unresolved issues also impact teachers’ work output.
Renbemo P Tungoe, Head Teacher of PM Shri GMS Wokha Town ‘C’ and a member of the NGTA 2010 and 2013 batch, pointed out that several Government Primary Schools and Government Middle Schools in the district are overseen by teachers-in-charge and head teachers who are themselves association members. He highlighted that schools continue to receive regular directives, including submission of academic data through online platforms. Recently, PM Shri schools were required to submit academic performance data of Class 8 students covering the years 2023 to 2025.
He informed that PM Shri GMS Wokha Town ‘C’ has seven SSA teachers, whose participation at the pen-down strike has hampered smooth functioning. He outlined concerns including disruption of regular classes, learning gaps among weaker students, postponement of tests, discipline-related issues, administrative delays, and increased stress on students and parents. He also noted that a capacity-building training programme for PM Shri schools is scheduled for March 5 and 6, which requires full teacher participation. As head teachers, he said, they are facing challenges in supervision, work distribution, record maintenance, academic monitoring, and overall school development. He appealed to the Government to treat the matter as a priority and address the demands of the NGTA 2010 and 2013 batches.
T. Liremo Ezung, Head Teacher of PM Shri GMS Wokha Town ‘B’, informed that six teachers from their school belong to the NGTA 2010 and 2013 batch. He described them as sincere and dedicated educators who form the backbone of the institution in both academic and co-curricular spheres, adding that their absence is being deeply felt. He expressed hope that the Government would fulfil their demands and resolve their grievances to ensure uninterrupted functioning of schools.
Chumbeni Humtsoe, Head Teacher of PM Shri GMS Wokha Town ‘A’, stated that nine teachers from the 2010 and 2013 batches in her school are participating in the strike. As a result, a scheduled Parent-Teacher Meeting, already included in the Nagaland Board and Directorate calendar, was severely affected due to the non-participation of striking teachers.
She noted that the participations of teachers during such an important event was strongly felt and cautioned that prolonged disruption would hamper the smooth functioning of the school.
Acknowledging that delays in salary disbursement significantly affect teachers, she urged the Department to resolve the issue at the earliest for the welfare of both students and teachers.
