GMS OLD RALAN: SYNERGISING SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY

Nestled at the interstate border of Nagaland and Assam, GMS Old Ralan in Wokha district, is a thriving school with many result-oriented activities to its credit. However, this was not the case a few years ago.

When Zachamo became the Head Teacher in 2018, the school was in a state of disrepair and the teachers were unable to do much until the NECTAR project came along. With the coming of Performance Incentive Grants (PIG) to the school in 2022, it was able to mobilise and sustain community participation. Over the years, Zachamo and his colleagues, along with the School Management Committee (SMC), have undertaken many school improvement activities.

Old Ralan village is predominantly inhabited by the Lothas but also comprises several other communities, giving it a culturally diverse character. Many parents are daily wage earners and are ill-informed about educating their children and the free provisions offered by government schools. To mitigate this issue, the school conducts outreach activities in and beyond the village. This, combined with the school’s reputation, has drawn students from surrounding villages as well.

Enrolment Drives: Bringing Dropouts and Unschooled Children into the Fold

Led by the teachers and SMC, extensive enrolment drives are conducted systematically at the beginning of the academic year. The community members also support them in conducting door-to-door visits to determine the number of out-of-school children in and around the village. They check the academic records of children and also identify dropouts who have not enrolled in school for more than a year.

During the home visits, the teachers and SMC encourage parents and guardians of dropout children to enrol in the school. Upon receiving a positive response, the name and particulars of the child are noted. They also set the date for another visit with the senior students and take geo-tagged photographs to demonstrate their sincerity and care.

They create awareness about provisions for free admission, uniforms, and textbooks, as well as mid-day meals, library, sports and games, and pre-vocational education to motivate parents to enrol their children. Considering the opportunities available at GMS Old Ralan, Head Teacher Zachamo remarked,

“Why should parents spend beyond their wages to send their children to private schools when the school has qualified, well-trained, experienced, and dedicated teachers?”

When GMS Old Ralan first received the PIG in 2022, enrolment stood at 121. In the current academic year, 2025, enrolment increased to 155 through enrolment drives led by the SMC Chairman, Orenthung Humtsoe. Through the persistent efforts of the SMC and the teachers, the school has been improving its enrolment rate by also drawing students from a private school near the village. The SMC has been able to build meaningful community participation through various activities that enhance learning opportunities for children.

Expanding Learning Opportunities Beyond the Classroom

As mandated by NECTAR’s PIG, the SMC has been able to increase parental participation in Parent-Teacher Meetings (PTM), This has led to wider awareness among the community about the free provisions and facilities, the inclusive nature of the school, study tours, and other cocurricular activities conducted under NECTAR.

The SMC, along with teachers, conducted outreach activities to encourage students and parents in various ways. They urged students to develop regular study habits at home and educated them on the importance of setting goals and managing time. They also encouraged students to maintain a kitchen garden at home and motivated parents to participate in school events. With support from PIG, remedial classes were conducted for three months in 2023 by external resource persons.

To widen learning opportunities, the school undertook several activities such as environmental awareness and cleanliness, tree plantation, food preservation through pickle-making and canning, and teaching of traditional weaving skills. The school organised counselling workshops on themes such as “Awareness of Social Media” and “Principles for Parents and Children” with the support of resource persons. Furthermore, in collaboration with IDBI, seminars on “Awareness of Digital Banking” and “Financial Literacy Week” were held for parents, teachers, and the SMC.

Taking Forward Community Ownership and Responsibility

GMS Old Ralan has been taking forward the objective of Performance Incentive Grants to foster community ownership and participation for school upliftment. Members of the Old Ralan Baptist Church constructed a kutcha Mid-Day Meal (MDM) kitchen in February this year by donating free labour and construction materials.

On 8 May 2005, it was decided during a PTM that parents and guardians would participate in cleanliness drives, maintain the school’s nutri-garden, and contribute vegetables and firewood for cooking hot meals for students on a roster basis.

Community members, staff, students, and parents tend to the nutri-garden by weeding, growing, and harvesting organic vegetables like beans, okra, yams, and gourds. These vegetables are prepared and served in Mid-Day Meals. To enhance parental engagement, they have also agreed to invite parents or guardians with specialised skills or knowledge for enriching student learning experience.

During PTMs, teachers have also hosted the gathering by contributing refreshments and other resources. They exhort parents and the community on the need for collaboration for the betterment of their children.

It has been reported that community engagement and parental involvement in school enhance student performance as well as promote good behaviour, the development of social skills, and regular attendance.

Like its government school counterparts, GMS Ralan also has its share of challenges and infrastructural deficiencies that need further support. However, despite these challenges, it stands out as a school that consistently enriches the learning experience of its students through the active leadership of teachers, the SMC and participation from the community.