The Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) has issued a strong directive to all schools under its jurisdiction to ignore the strike call given by the All Nagaland School Teachers’ Association (ANSTA), declaring that the teachers’ body holds no authority to interfere in the affairs of Eastern Nagaland. The ENSF, which represents the eight major tribes of the region — Chang, Konyak, Eastern Sumi, Phom, Khiamniungan, Tikhir, Yimkhiung, and Sangtam — described ANSTA’s recent involvement in Eastern matters as “audacious, unwarranted, and unacceptable.” The federation accused ANSTA of overstepping its limits and attempting to meddle in tribal educational matters that fall exclusively under the ENSF’s purview. “We will neither recognise nor accept any directives or interventions from ANSTA within the Eastern jurisdiction,” the statement read, adding that any such actions were “null, void, and inconsequential.”
The ENSF took particular exception to what it termed as ANSTA’s “self-assumed mandate” to issue calls for action within the Eastern region. It described the association as “a mere welfare grouping of government employees belonging to a single department” and not an organisation with any recognised authority over the tribal educational structure. According to the ENSF, ANSTA’s attempt to involve itself in the affairs of schools and teachers in Eastern Nagaland was not only inappropriate but also “a direct affront to the sovereignty, dignity, and tribal authority” of the federation. “ANSTA has neither the legitimacy nor the moral standing to question or challenge the mandate of a tribally constituted apex body,” it declared. The federation further alleged that the teachers’ association’s actions were a “calculated attempt to provoke, discredit, and destabilise” the Eastern tribal educational ecosystem, which the ENSF claims to have defended and nurtured for decades.
The Eastern Naga Students’ Federation, established decades ago, has long served as the umbrella body representing the eight tribes of Eastern Nagaland in socio-educational and community matters. Its mandate extends beyond student welfare—it functions as a moral and cultural guardian, advocating for quality education, infrastructure, and equitable government attention in the historically neglected region. Over the years, the ENSF has engaged directly with successive state governments to address chronic issues such as teacher shortages, poor school facilities, and inconsistent implementation of educational schemes in Eastern Nagaland. The federation’s interventions have led to several reforms, including the streamlining of school management structures and the protection of tribal teachers’ rights.
