Nagaland plans AI curriculum from Class 6, may extend it to Class 3

Nagaland has set an initial target to engage 1,000 students under the 'One Million Voices' initiative, part of a nationwide education movement aimed at collecting the views and aspirations of one million young people aged 12 to 25 on education reforms. Advisor for School Education and SCERT Dr Kekhrielhoulie Yhome announced this at a press conference at the Directorate of School Education on Thursday, saying the state could expand its target to 2,500 students to obtain a broader understanding of the challenges facing young people.

He said the initiative, under the 'Shiksha Graha' movement, seeks to adopt a bottom-up approach by engaging students directly and understanding their expectations before redesigning the education system.

Nagaland school education reform pillars

Yhome said Nagaland's school education reforms would focus on three pillars - infrastructure, human resource management and curriculum development. Acknowledging that several government school buildings remained in poor condition, with some reportedly not having been repaired since the 1980s, he said students should not have to wait for infrastructure improvements to receive quality education.

The department is also working with knowledge partners under Mission SOAR to develop an Artificial Intelligence (AI) curriculum, which is proposed to be introduced from Class 6, with the possibility of extending it to Class 3. An additional director of the department said AI education had already been introduced on a pilot basis in three schools - GMS Forest Colony, GHSS Sovima and GHSS Jotsoma. The pilot initiative, which began around two weeks ago, had received a positive initial response, and its impact would be assessed before wider implementation, he said.

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Yhome said the introduction of AI education would require digital infrastructure, including internet connectivity and access to devices such as Chromebooks. The department was also working towards formulating a state policy on AI safety protocols. He acknowledged challenges posed by an ageing teaching workforce and said the department would explore supervised AI-based learning tools to help students acquire digital skills.

On connectivity in remote areas, he said the government was engaging partners to explore satellite-based solutions to ensure students in far-flung schools were not deprived of digital education. Explaining the objectives of the One Million Voices initiative, Yhome identified five dimensions of future readiness: agency, awareness, connectedness, well-being and continuous learning. These would focus on independent thinking, awareness of emerging opportunities, social relationships, mental health and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. He said the department was also considering engaging church bodies through pastoral counselling to address students' mental health needs, as teachers were often not trained to identify or handle such concerns.

Emphasising the need to link vocational education with employment opportunities, Yhome said around 75 to 80 per cent of Nagaland's population remained dependent on agriculture. He stressed the importance of incorporating modern farming practices, sustainable agriculture and indigenous knowledge into school curricula. The initiative, supported by philanthropic and knowledge partners, will culminate next year, with its findings expected to be discussed at a national-level gathering in Bengaluru in February. Nagaland has around 4.3 lakh students in its school education system, from pre-primary to Class 12, Yhome said, adding that the department also plans to reach college-going students through the initiative.