In a significant move aimed at protecting the rights of underprivileged children, the Directorate of School Education, Government of Nagaland, has issued an official advisory to identify and enroll children involved in begging into government schools. The notification, dated 17th June 2025, follows the advisory issued by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for the protection and rehabilitation of impoverished, uneducated children, women, and differently-abled individuals engaged in begging.
The advisory, signed by the Principal Director, Shashank Pratap Singh, IAS, has called upon members of NGOs, Municipal/town/village councils, churches, student unions and the general public to report details of such children to the Child Helpline 1098 enabling their enrollment in the nearest government schools.
The Department of School Education specifically seeks to identify:
1. Out-of-school children aged 6–14 years who are not enrolled or have dropped out of school before completing elementary education, including those found begging.
2. Children aged 3–6 years whose parents are engaged in begging and are not enrolled in pre-school, Anganwadi, or Balvatika centers.
All District Education Officers (DEOs), Sub-Divisional Education Officers (SDEOs), and Senior SDEOs under Zunheboto district have been instructed to coordinate with the concerned District Child Protection Units and Child Welfare Committees to facilitate the admission of such children as per the provisions of the Right to Education Act, 2009.
(Sepikiu S Sangtam, IA Zunheboto)