Dimapur, March 16 (MExN): The All Nagaland Government Primary Teachers’ Association (ANGPTA) has expressed deep concern over the Directorate of School Education’s recent order to implement the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy from February 1, 2026, questioning its “fairness, intent and practical implications.”
In a representation to the Principal Director, Department of School Education, the ANGPTA stated that the association has “never resorted to any form of agitation in the history of the School Education Department” and appreciated the directives issued by the Department for implementing strict attendance.
However, it said that the recent order “without any proper physical verification of attendance” raises serious concerns, as the decision appears to have been taken solely on the basis of digital data, the reliability of which is widely disputed. “This is deeply unsettling for teachers whose livelihoods depend on their monthly salaries.”
ANGPTA claimed that the Directorate has shown remarkable speed in implementing salary deductions. However, the same urgency has “rarely” been seen in addressing long-pending issues affecting teachers, including regularization of adhoc teachers; salary backlogs of CSS Hindi teachers; delayed payments under SSA and RMSA; long-pending arrears; administrative delays in service-related matters. “This contrast naturally creates the perception that disciplinary measures are being prioritized over resolving systemic problems,” it stated.
ANGPTA pointed out that the reliability of the TAMS SMILE App, the primary tool for attendance monitoring, is widely disputed. Teachers across the state have reported frequent technical glitches preventing attendance marking; attendance entries failing to sync with the central server; tablets issued by the department malfunctioning or freezing; data inconsistencies despite teachers marking attendance correctly. It alleged that despite repeated complaints and visits to the TAMS branch, many of these technical issues remain unresolved.
Highlighting the ground realities, ANGPTA stated that network connectivity in Nagaland remains inconsistent in many areas, particularly in rural and interior schools. Data synchronization frequently fails and attendance application becomes unusable during network disruptions, it added. “Ignoring these challenges while relying exclusively on digital records for salary deductions reflects a lack of practical understanding of teachers’ working conditions,” it said.
The association also noted that the policy is set to take effect from February, a month when teachers across Nagaland were expressing their grievances through protests concerning long-standing administrative issues. This timing, ANGPTA argued, creates the impression that that the order is intended not merely to enforce discipline but to discourage teachers from raising legitimate concerns in the future.
Contrasting the speed with which disciplinary action is being pursued, ANGPTA pointed to unresolved issues such as the regularization of adhoc teachers, salary backlogs for CSS Hindi teachers, delayed SSA and RMSA payments, and long-pending arrears. “This contrast naturally creates the perception that disciplinary measures are being prioritized over resolving systemic problems,” it stated.
“An effective education system cannot function on fear or coercion. It must be built on trust, mutual respect, and open dialogue,” they said, suggesting the Directorate “to focus on resolving long-pending issues, addressing the technical failures of the attendance monitoring system, and engaging constructively with the teaching community.”
ANGPTA President James Ruokuoselhou, General Secretary Along Changkiri, Vice President (Admin) Hoshika H Sumi, and Joint Secretary Joseph Keneisetou Belho jointly signed the representation, urging the department to reconsider the policy’s implementation and address the root causes that have led to the present situation. “A strong education system cannot be built on the demoralization of its teachers,” it asserted.
