Wokha’s lone government college in dire straits

WOKHA — Students in Wokha district rely on Mount Tiyi College, the only government college in the region, for access to higher education, but it is faced with a significant infrastructure constraint despite located just a kilometre away from the town centre.

The three circular roads — Wokha Bokajan road, NST approach road and Etsutchukha road — connecting the college are narrow, pothole riddled and lack adequate drainage system.

Dr. Bweyhunle Khing, Principal of Mount Tiyi College, shared that she had already raised the issue of poor road connectivity with the local MLA in 2023, and expressed hope that the matter will be addressed, as the legislator had assured to look into it.

But besides the road connectivity, the college is also in urgent need for other basic amenities.

Dr. Khing said that the lack of proper toilet facilities for students and faculty, coupled with the absence of a reliable water supply for nearly a year, has forced the institution to rely on rainwater harvesting. Additionally, the lack of staff quarters poses a significant challenge, forcing the faculty and staff to seek rented accommodation.

The college also requires more classrooms to accommodate the growing number of students and implement the four-year undergraduate programme mandated by National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.

The principal noted that student enrollment in 2023 stood at 250 and the number is expected to increase this year, with admissions still open for students who recently cleared their Class 12 compartmental/improvement examinations.

She also said that the college relies on its indoor stadium for conducting events due to the lack of an auditorium, causing significant challenges during large gatherings. Recalling the experience of hosting the All Nagaland College Students’ Union conference in 2023, she shared that the college could not accommodate delegates during the session due to lack of space.

Meanwhile, in an effort to enhance students’ employability, the college has partnered with NIELIT to provide computer education, it was informed.

Dr. Khing went on to share that plans are underway to introduce skill development programmes, such as tailoring and hospitality management, through the Skill India scheme. She said that these initiatives are being introduced to prepare students for securing private-sector jobs after passing out from the collage, as the government sector is already saturated.

Established in 1974, Mount Tiyi College is spread across approximately 17.59 acres, and staffed by 30 faculty members, including 10 PhD holders. It offers six disciplines in the Arts stream– English, Political science, History, Economics, Education, Sociology — and Environmental Studies as an additional subject.

What require urgent attention, as the college prepares to celebrate its golden jubilee by the end of this year, are basic amenities, including road connectivity.