Rural areas in Nagaland, particularly in the North-East, face persistent shortages of subject teachers, particularly in Mathematics and Science. In some areas, one government school functions with just two teachers. Across 48 schools there were just seven Maths and Science teachers for over 5,000 students. Remote locations, weak infrastructure and irregular classes compound the learning gaps.
Eleutheros Christian Society (ECS), a Naga NGO, piloted the idea of a Mobile Teaching Unit six years ago, but unfortunately this was just as the COVID pandemic struck. Despite this, they reached 13 villages and 719 students. The unit ran for three years before running out of funds.
From 2026 KET will be working with ECS and will be funding a new Mobile Teaching Unit reaching between 900 and 1000 children aged between 8 and 14.
The goal is to ensure that every child in ten targeted government middle schools attains grade-level numeracy and science literacy. This, together with renewed community ownership and teacher participation will help to sustain these gains.
1. To strengthen the basic understanding of mathematics and science concepts among children with the focus on building numeracy, logical thinking and scientific curiosity from an early stage.
2. Ensure that core topics in science and maths are systematically taught in villages lacking qualified subject teachers. The mobile unit will bridge this gap by reaching multiple schools on rotation and aligning lessons with the state curriculum.
3. Introduce simple, portable and low-cost laboratory set-ups that allow children to learn through hands-on experiments.
4. Work alongside local teachers to co-teach science and maths offering real time support and skill building. The MTU will serve as a mentoring platform, equipping village teachers with methods to improve subject delivery after the MTU moves on to the next village.
5. Facilitate evening learning sessions in collaboration with youth groups to help children revise and practice concepts. Encourage community volunteers to help ensure continuity of learning.
6. Involve village councils and parents in supporting the MTU by providing space, safety and accountability. Their active participation will help to build long-term ownership ensuring sustainability.
Chendang is a village located 24km from the Tuensang with a population of 862. The village was officially recognised by the Government of Nagaland in 2004 as the Vegetable Village in appreciation of its significant contribution to vegetable farming and its role is promoting sustainable agriculture in the region. The Government Middle School is a co-ed upper primary school and currently has 115 pupils enrolled. Due to a shortage of teachers, the community actively raised funds to support two teachers.
Noksen Village is 60km north west of Tuensang with a population of just over 2,000. It is known for its vibrant festivals and traditional practices that have been preserved and passed down through the generations. The village is known as the Pilgrimage Village – it has become a centre of attraction for pilgrims, researchers and cultural tourists. The Government Middle School has currently 99 students enrolled in grades 3 to 8.
Noksen Town functions as a key local administrative centre and serves as a hub for various government and community services. The Government High School was established and managed by the Department of Education. There are 90 children enrolled from grades 3-8.
Bumei Village is located in the Mon District and has a population of 1,100 people. The Government High School has 82 children currently enrolled in classes 7 to 10. The school received strong community support as it faced significant challenges, recording 0% pass rates for two consecutive years in 21/22. ECS ran a separate programme initiating an intensive coaching programme for Class 10 students and also supported an additional teacher to strengthen classroom support. These initiatives resulted in a big improvement in 2023 with 8 out of 26 students successfully passing their exams.
Longtang Village is in Tuensang district, 35 km from the centre with a population of 950. The Government Middle school has 63 students enrolled in classes 1-7. It receives good community support: tiffin huts have been built using local materials which has encouraged the village to participate in school improvement.
Longra Village is also in Tuensang District, 68km from the centre. The village is famous for its Jaggery production (an unrefined traditional cane sugar) which is a significant source of income for its 1,750 populace. It is also known for growing oranges and Paddy cultivation. The primary and middle school was established in 2002 and currently has 112 children enrolled in classes 1-8.
Chingmelen is also in Tuensang district, approximately 15km from the main town. It has a population of 1,993. The Government High School has 143 students in classes 1-10
Yangching is a tiny village of 800 people in the Longleng District inhabited by the Phom people, one of the major Naga tribes. Traditionally the Phom are skilled in handicrafts, weaving and agriculture. The Government Middle School has 47 students
Tangnyu is in the Mon District, the northernmost school reached in this programme, inhabited by the Konyak tribe, one of the most culturally rich tribes in Nagaland. The Konyaks are known for their strong community spirit, craftsmanship and their deep-rooted traditions. The Government Middle School serves 107 students.
Leangkonger is in the southern part of eastern Nagaland, south of Tuensang, where agriculture is the main occupation. Occupied mainly by Yimkhiung tribe who are recognised for their colourful festivals, folk dances and weaving skills. A small population of 785, the Government Middle School serves 137 students.
The MTU will become active at the end of February 2026 which is the start of the local academic year. It will consist of three trainers plus one team leader. This team will work in turn with part-time tutors in each village.
From February to November 2026, the MTU will cover the ten schools in three cycles, each cycle will be an intensive three to five days in each village.
At the start of the programme, all students in the ten targeted schools will undergo a short baseline test in science and maths. At the end of each academic year, the same group will be reassessed with comparable tests to measure their learning gains.
This will be combined with continuous tracking and the trainers will maintain attendance and participation records during each MTU visit.
The trainers will work with the school headmasters to gather report cards, promotion records and teacher evaluations, where possible.
The indicators of success will be 60-70% of students showing measurable improvement from baseline to endline assessments; a demonstration of good attendance records and regular evening study groups sustained by the students and supported by the community.
We will provide donors with an annual summary report combining the above evidence, including anonymised test results, success stories and clear year-on-year progress against targets.
The Mobile Teaching Unit will cost in the region of £43,500 per year and KET has committed to funding it for a minimum of three years.
