NECTAR project aims to enhance governance of schools: Sukhalu

Correspondent KOHIMA, OCT 12 (NPN) : Advisor school education KT Sukhalu Tuesday said that World Bank-funded Nagaland Education Project (NEP)—The Lighthouse [Nagaland: Enhancing Classroom Teaching and Resources (NECTAR)] holds immense relevance to the education system in Nagaland as it aims to enhance the governance of schools across the state and improve teaching practices and learning environments in selected school complexes.

Speaking at the state level orientation and sensitization on the NEP—The Lighthouse (NECTAR) held at hotel Vivor here Tuesday, Sukhalu said that the project envisages developing a comprehensive, sustainable reform programme that can guide efforts at two levels: system-wide reforms that improve overall governance of schools in the state and school focused reforms that directly improve school level teaching practices and learning environments.

Advisor reminded that the success of the project depends predominantly on the collaborative efforts of all the entities and stakeholders that have various roles and responsibilities albeit in varying degrees.

Sukhalu said the project implementation at the state level was led by the department of school education and managed by four constituent agencies—DoSE, SCERT, NRSE and SSM, which would collaborate with each other as well as with relevant departments of the government, NGOs and CSOs working in the region on similar focus areas.

Asserting that a transformation and overhaul in education would mean better quality education and improvement in human capital, the advisor, therefore, said that the project holds value and promise to transform not only the education system, but also impact the lives beyond the classroom and sowing the seeds of much needed transformation of the society.

The Central government, State government and the World Bank had signed a $68 million project to enhance the governance of schools across Nagaland as well as to improve teaching practices and learning environments in select schools.

NECTAR project seeks to improve classroom instruction; create opportunities for the professional development of teachers; and build technology systems to provide students and teachers with more access to blended and online learning as well as allow better monitoring of policies and programmes.

About 150,000 students and 20,000 teachers in the government education system in Nagaland would benefit from the state-wide reforms in schools.

Advisor said that as per Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) 2016-17 data for elementary schooling, Nagaland was among the bottom five states in India for its Net Enrolment Rate (NER) with 75.63 % against 85.89 % national rate, retention rate at 45.5 % against national level of 70.6 % and rates of transition from elementary to secondary education was at 79% against 88.5% for India.

He said Nagaland has the second highest dropout rates at primary and upper-primary levels with 20.9% and 18.2 % respectively as per UDISE 2016- 17.

Sukhalu said that the situation further deteriorated at the secondary and higher secondary stages. He said that at the secondary level, Nagaland ranks second from the bottom among states in India on NER with 34.03 % against 51.77 % at national level and third from the bottom in retention rate with 30.9 % against 55.5 % at national level.

At the higher secondary level, he said the NER drops to an abysmal 19.62 % compared to 30.95 % at national level.

Principal director school education Shanavas C, who is also the project director of NECTAR said The Lighthouse project would be implemented in all the districts. He said the project was for five years and on completion of the project the institution would function on its own. Therefore, he said community participation was vital for continuity of the institute.

PD also reminded that there would be quarterly tripartite review between the World Bank, ministry of economic affairs, State government. He, therefore, said that submission of utilisation certificate was important for timely release of the fund.

Stating that the project officially took off on April 7, 2021, he said Nagaland’s education system faces several challenges and therefore the department through this project was committed to prioritize its efforts on addressing three specific problems within a fixed project duration: Quality improvement of the state’s teaching workforce, improving management and governance systems and improving school-level learning environments.

Earlier, special secretary school education and vice chairman project steering committee NECTAR, Kevileno Angami, have opening remarks.

Department officials, chairman NBSE, officials from the line departments and others attended the orientation and sensitization programme.

Source: http://www.nagalandpost.com/nectar-project-aims-to-enhance-governance-of-schools-sukhalu/242228.html