By - Akangjungla
Children in Nagaland are growing up at a crossroads. On one path lies the rich inheritance of the Naga culture, community, shared responsibility and the profound understanding that the most valuable things in life often have no price tag. On the other, a commanding, alluring force indicates, a consumer culture that measures worth by brand labels, school logos and the size of a fee receipt. It is on this second path that our education system is increasingly being led, and the cost is becoming a burden too heavy for many of the parents to bear.
The relentless hike in school fees each academic year is no longer just a topic of complaining in household conversations, it has become a source of genuine anxiety. For the average Naga parent, striving to provide the best for their child, these escalating costs represent a significant financial burden. It means sacrificing more, working longer hours, and often, taking on debt. Education, once the great equalizer, is now risking becoming a divide between families, those who can afford the air-conditioned buses, smart classrooms, and international curricula of elite private schools, and those who are left with underfunded alternatives.
This is not merely about infrastructure. This is about the values being instilled in the young minds. Raising children in a consumer culture that has firmly taken root in schools has profound consequences. When a child’s social standing begins to depend on the brand of their shoes, the model of their phone, or the exclusivity of their school, the society is at fault for nurturing materialism.
The influence of materialism in schools creates an environment where ‘having’ is celebrated and where the pressure to be ‘included’ is monetised.
What happens to the child from a humble, loving home who cannot compete in this race of display? And what becomes of the child who can, but learns to equate their identity with their possessions? By creating such a divide, the society is sowing the seeds of a deep social divide that runs contrary to the very essence of being Naga, the sense of community and the shared identity.
What is the true purpose of education? Is it to produce the best consumers, or the best citizens? Is it to create a generation that can recite foreign syllabus but has forgotten the wisdom of one’s own forefathers? A school’s merit cannot be measured by its fee structure alone, but by the integrity, empathy, and critical thinking it fosters in its students.
It is time for a collective introspection. School managements must exercise ethical responsibility, ensuring that quality education does not come at the cost of exclusion and financial strain. As parents, the must have the courage to say ‘no’ to the relentless demands of consumerism and reaffirm the values of simplicity and hard work. The community leaders and church bodies, who have always been the moral compass of the Naga society, must initiate a dialogue on this issue. The future of Nagaland is being shaped in the classrooms today. It is the responsibility of everyone to ensure it is a future we can all be proud of, one that is inclusive, rich in true knowledge, not just in material wealth.
Comments can be sent to akangjungla@gmail.com
