Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Wednesday virtually laid the foundation stones and officially launched nine Lighthouse School Complexes (LSCs) under the flagship Nagaland Education Project – The Lighthouse (NECTAR). The launch ceremony was held at the Chief Minister’s Residential Complex (CMRC) in Kohima. Speaking at the event, CM Rio commended the consistent progress made through NECTAR and called it a game-changer in reshaping school education across the state. He emphasized the power of education in shaping the future of Nagaland and said that initiatives like LSCs will help equip the youth to compete not only nationally but also globally. “The LSCs are not just about infrastructure; they are about transforming lives,” said Rio. “These schools will empower our children with the tools they need to thrive in the modern world, while also ensuring no one is left behind.”
The Chief Minister expressed deep appreciation for the Department of School Education and the NECTAR team for their dedication in bringing positive change to classrooms, teacher training, and school management practices. He also thanked the Ministry of Education, Government of India, and other funding partners for their continued support, highlighting their role in making the vision a reality. Shashank Pratap Singh, IAS, Principal Director of the Directorate of School Education, presented an overview of NECTAR’s key components, including innovations such as the SMILE App, and ongoing capacity-building programs aimed at empowering teachers and administrators.
The nine newly launched LSCs are strategically located across diverse districts of the state:
GHSS Medziphema Town, Chumoukedima
GHSS Phek Town, Phek
GHS Sitimi Town, Kiphire
GHSS Satakha, Zunheboto
GHS Chessore, Shamator
GHS Noklak Village, Noklak
Bautung GHSS Longleng, Longleng
N.I. Jamir GHSS, Mokokchung
GHSS Dimapur, Dimapur
These additions follow the initial seven LSCs whose foundation stones were laid by the CM on December 1, 2024, in:
Mon, Kohima, Niuland, Peren, Tseminyu, Tuensang, and Wokha.
Together, these 16 Lighthouse Schools will serve as model educational hubs, each designed with advanced infrastructure, and meant to function as centres of excellence supporting surrounding schools. Under the NECTAR vision, LSCs aim to promote holistic, inclusive, and sustainable learning, incorporating local knowledge systems, community engagement, and innovative pedagogy. Importantly, special focus is being placed on reaching out to Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs) and Children with Special Needs (CWSN), aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) goals of equity and quality. The NECTAR Engineering Team is closely monitoring construction to ensure full compliance with the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Standards. The total estimated budget for building all 16 LSCs stands at Rs 198.57 crore.
