GHSS CHOZUBA: A STORY OF RESILIENCE AND DEDICATION
PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE GRANTS STORIES
The Performance Incentive Grants (PIG) aims to strengthen the sense of ownership and responsibility among the community for all-round school development. The grant empowers the School Management Committee (SMC) and School Management and Development Committee (SMDC) to plan and execute various school improvement activities based on their specific needs.
Besides compulsory activities such as SMC/SMDC meetings, Parents Teachers Meetings, record maintenance, and outreach activities, PIG also recommends a comprehensive list of activities for schools availing of the grant to take up.
The two stories featured in this issue showcase how schools across Nagaland are perceivably improving their spaces of learning as well as enriching the learning process of students, through proactive community participation.
GHSS CHOZUBA: A STORY OF RESILIENCE AND DEDICATION
In the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown, when GHSS Chozuba in Phek district reopened, it faced a daunting situation with a sharp decline in student performance. This was worsened by a shortage of math and science teachers. What followed thereafter, is a testament to resilience and dedication that bore fruit in academics and beyond.
Amid the challenges, GHSS Chozuba mobilised the School Management and Development Committee (SMDC) and held meetings as it is a mandatory activity under NECTAR’s Performance Incentive Grants (PIG). It was decided in one of the meetings to conduct remedial classes for students of standard 8, 9, and 10 as they would be appearing in board examinations. This agenda was also discussed with the parents in a Parents Teachers Meeting and they arrived at the decision to impart remedial classes for one to two hours per day after school hours. In its commitment to improve the situation, the SMDC made it mandatory for the students to attend these sessions. As a result of this, the pass percentage increased from 20% to 80% within the academic year proving that with dedication, challenges can become opportunities to shine.
In 2022, an archery coaching camp for girls was organised under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme with the support of the then Deputy Commissioner Shri Razouvolie Dozo, the then ADC Chozuba, Smt. Imokokla, the Phek District Archery Association, the State Archery Coach Shri Kuhunezo Thisa, and GHSS Chozuba. During this camp, the students took a keen interest in the sport and demonstrated their potential.
Encouraged by the event, the Principal Sedukholu Thisa and the Vice Principal Vesuzo Swuro, who are also the SMDC Chairman and Secretary, respectively, made sincere efforts to promote archery at school.
Sedukholu Thisa comments on this initiative:
“Taking advantage of this opportunity, the school authority decided to procure the archery equipment by utilising the school grant-in-aid, and with the funds received from NECTAR, the SMDC hired the trained coach Khosato, to train our 25 students.”
The Olympian Smt. Chekrovolu Swuro also volunteered to mentor the students, providing the school with additional support and inspiration. Receiving a boost in skills and morale, the students participated in the Nagaland Olympic and Paralympic Games 2022 and won an impressive nine medals across different archery categories.
Furthermore, GHSS Chozuba selected four students, namely Vekunulu Rhakho, Ezilu Swuro, Ozono Rhakho, and Avelu Keyho, to represent the school at the National Archery Selection event at Kohima in 2023. Out of the four, Avelu Keyho, a 12th grade student, qualified to represent Nagaland at the 43rd NTPC Senior Archery Championship held at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh from November 24 to 30, 2023.
Avelu speaks about the support received from NECTAR’s
PIG:
“With financial support from NECTAR, our school provided us with archery coaching for two months, equipment like bows and arrows, and refreshments. We were also provided with travel expenses to attend the National Archery Selection event at the IG Stadium in Kohima. Since my personal equipment had already been purchased by my parents, the other participants were provided with the necessary equipment. This enabled us to participate in the events.”
GHSS Chozuba serves as an inspiring case of dedication and accomplishment spearheaded by the SMDC. Its academic and extracurricular achievements demonstrate that schools in Nagaland can reach greater heights through sustained collective participation.
