The two Student- Shethilu Medeo from Ruzhukhire Govt. Higher Secondary School and Iris Zomawii Lushai from Chumoukedima Government Higher Secondary School, and Inspire Manak Award student- Faragdul Islam from JNV and Zatan from Holy Cross High School, arrives Nagaland on 22nd June, 2025 after attending the 7- day program of Sakura Science High School program (SSHP) in Japan under the aegis of Samagra Shiksha Nagaland. The students were selected based on the criteria set by the Ministry of Education (MoE) GoI and based on the criteria set by Samagra Shiksha / NBSE Nagaland shortlisted meritorious students.
On their arrival the students had an interaction with the media, where each student expressed their experience and thanked the Department of School Education, especially the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan for giving them the opportunity to be a part of Sakura Science Exchange program. The students informed that during the 7 day program - 5 days was active participation and 2 days for exploring the country. Each student shared that their experiences in Japan, was really exciting, beautiful, and fun. They get to learn about their culture, their ways of using science and technology, the cleanliness, the politeness, and well behaved. They also said that the way they use technology is so different from India and the cleanliness really made them feel they were in a future world. They had fun exploring their culture and went to different places and have learned about many different things.
They said that during the program they had an opportunity to interact with students of Omika High School students, where they learn about their education system and it was really great to experience in the grassroots level with the high school students. While, one student who speaks Japanese said that she have been learning Japanese since childhood. She learned it herself because she was interested in Japan language and have always dreamed of going to Japan, so that in the future when she get the opportunity to go, she don't have to face any difficulties.
Principal, Government Higher Secondary School, Chumoukedima, Karen Yepthomi, thanked the Department of School Education, especially the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. She informed that this is the second batch going to Japan and was a dream made possible for the students. She believed many such projects might be available but will never come down to be able to benefit our students unless our bureaucrats and senior officers and advisors take initiative to bring such policies to fruition. She expressed gratitude to Commissioner, Keno and also to their previous Mission Director of Samagra, Temsunaro Aier, because it was under her special initiative, the students passports were sorted out within a month time, as none of the children had passports. The children’s dream to visit Japan came to reality because of the initiative of the department. She hoped that in the future many more opportunities are given to more children of government schools in Nagaland.
Nodal officer, SCERT, for INSPIRE MANAK AWARDS, Daniel Thong, said that this is first of its kind that from the government schools, the children could go to Japan through Sakura Exchange program and for the other two boys- Faragdul Islam from JNV and Zatan from Holy Cross High School, have been to the competition at national level. The selection was done on merit basis, where one of them came out first in a project competition in New Delhi and the other selected for to represent the national level with ideas. The two boys came up with very good ideas and they did well at national level and hence they were selected to go for Sakura Exchange program. He said that the two girls also did a good job to represent our state and the experience which they have will be alive with them for a long time. This is a big experience from them and he wish that eventually they will grow up and get an opportunity to go and study there and even work there to broaden their horizon. He also encouraged the children all over our country, especially in Nagaland, even from the rural places to take interest in such kind of trip. In merit wise, it is very difficult for the government schools to compete with private schools but when there is a special entry from the government schools, they can avail this opportunity.
He conveyed his best wishes to all the children listening and urged them to come up with innovative ideas and nominate themselves through Inspire Manak Award.
(Tovikali, IA, Chumoukedima)
