Kohima, June 22: Nagaland has taken a major step towards strengthening school education with the launch of the pilot phase of the Nagaland School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework (NSQAAF), aimed at establishing a standardised system to assess and improve school quality across the state.

A one-day orientation programme for heads of 100 selected schools and 90 external evaluators was held at the Capital Convention Centre in Kohima on June 19, with support from the Central Square Foundation.

Addressing the gathering, School Education Advisor Dr Kekhrielhoulie Yhome said the framework would help schools identify strengths and gaps through assessments covering administration, curriculum, infrastructure, inclusiveness and learning outcomes. He urged participating schools to view the exercise as an opportunity for continuous improvement.

Highlighting the scale of Nagaland’s education sector, Yhome said the state has around 1,900 government schools, 880 private schools and nearly 34,000 teachers. He also acknowledged challenges such as schools with very low enrolment and ongoing efforts to rationalise and strengthen the school system.

Commissioner and Secretary for School Education Kevileno Angami described NSQAAF as a landmark initiative that would evolve into a permanent, independent regulatory mechanism for both government and private schools. She said the pilot would generate critical feedback for refining the framework before wider implementation.

Additional Secretary Vikhweno Chale said the framework, aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, evaluates schools across five domains, 53 sub-domains and 338 standards, promoting transparency, accountability and continuous self-assessment.

Officials said the pilot marks a significant move towards ensuring quality, inclusive and accountable education across Nagaland.