Kohima: Just 8 kilometres from Kohima town lies Jotsoma village, home to a government school with an origin story unlike any other. This is not a school born of state funding but of the sheer determination of a community, one that later led to a bold exchange with the state government: water for education.
In the 1950s, Jotsoma had no government school. Recognising the urgent need for education, villagers came together in 1959 to start a Private Middle English (ME) School through community effort. By 1967, with the relocation of Kohima Science College to Jotsoma, village elders sensed the need to upgrade further. In 1968, the village started a Private High School.
Speaking to EastMojo, Penyüsielie Suokhrie, a member of the School Management and Development Committee (SMDC), recalled that for the next nine years, the people of Jotsoma kept the school alive by building classrooms, contributing funds household by household, and paying teachers from their own pockets.
But the burden soon became unsustainable. He recounted how the villagers had approached the government to take over the privately run high school, but their requests fell on deaf ears.
Then came an unexpected opportunity — water.
By the 1970s, as Kohima’s population grew, so did its demand for clean drinking water amid increasing scarcity. That was when the state government turned to Jotsoma, known for its pristine springs. But the villagers didn’t view their water as a commodity to be sold. They saw it as leverage.
During negotiations, the village elders agreed to grant the government access to their water source at Dzüna, on the condition that the government must also take over and run the Jotsoma Private High School.
“If we speak frankly, this high school was bought with the best source of water from Jotsoma,” Suokhrie said.
The deal was finalised in December 1976, and by 1978, the state government formally took over the high school. It was not until 2014 that the school was upgraded to the higher secondary level, introducing Arts and Science streams. However, progress remained slow. Despite the upgradation, there was no additional staff apart from the appointment of a vice principal, and no new infrastructure was provided. Once again, the villagers stepped in to bridge the gap.
“In the very first year after the school was upgraded, there was no space to start the higher secondary section. As the month of May drew to a close, I was deeply worried about how we would begin classes for the 13 enrolled students. But the SMDC and the villagers stepped in and assured me they would ready classrooms within seven days. True to their word, they converted a rundown girls’ hostel into a functional space for the higher secondary section,” Principal of the school, Azinu Savi Swüro said.
As no new teachers were deputed initially, five educated youths from the village volunteered to teach the first batch of students, bridging the gap until government-appointed teachers arrived.
At present, the school serves nearly 275 students from Classes V to XII, including 160 in the higher secondary section alone. Over the years, the school has produced six board exam toppers.
In 2025, the school reached a new milestone when Vikhono Senotso, an Arts stream student, emerged as the overall topper in the board examinations, becoming one of the first students from a government school to secure the top position.
Another milestone was achieved when Kezhazetuo Nagi from the Commerce stream secured a place among the Top 10 rank holders, becoming the school’s first-ever topper in the Commerce category.
Beyond academics, the school is also fostering innovation in agriculture, sustainability, and technology. Initiatives such as hydroponic farming, eco-friendly activities, and robotics have introduced students to hands-on, modern learning that extends well beyond the traditional classroom.
Turning waste into wishes
What was once discarded waste has now been transformed into a creative symbol of sustainability at Government Higher Secondary School, Jotsoma. In an effort led by the school’s Eco Club, students and teachers repurposed old tyres, broken furniture, and plastic waste to build a wishing well.
This stands as a unique structure aimed at promoting environmental awareness. Instead of coins, students toss in pebbles while making small wishes, turning the installation into both an artistic feature and a learning tool for sustainability.
But that is not all. The school campus now greets visitors with an eco-park adorned with vibrant installations, all crafted from repurposed waste materials. From plastic bottles to scrap wood, the once-discarded items have been transformed into art pieces.
With the construction of a new school building underway, the old structure had to be demolished, leaving behind a large amount of construction debris. Recognising the environmental impact of such waste, the school’s Eco Club stepped in to find a sustainable solution.
“We realised the debris was becoming a pollutant. So we decided to repurpose it,” said Adau Zeme, the teacher in charge of the Eco Club. Alongside the rubble, several trees had to be cut down to make space for the new building, leaving behind stumps and trunks. Instead of discarding them, the Eco Club used these materials creatively by integrating the debris and tree parts into the design of a new eco-park, turning what was once waste into a space for learning and leisure.
Learning modern farming, robotics
A standout feature of the school’s curriculum is its hydroponics course, a soilless farming technique introduced in late 2024 under the vocational Agriculture subject.
“Hydroponics helps plants grow faster while using less water and space. I believe this project is helping students understand how science and technology come together in modern farming, teaching them to learn that agriculture today is not just traditional, but also scientific and innovative,” explained Thejanei Nagi, the teacher in charge.
Through the course, students have learned to cultivate crops like lettuce and bok choy using hydroponic techniques.
At the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL), Lucky Kanoja, the teacher in charge, shared that the lab is part of the Atal Innovation Mission and is funded by the Learning Inc Foundation and Dell Technologies.
He shared that students have already created several innovative projects through the facility. The lab has enabled students to explore robotics and smart systems, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in the process.
When teachers go beyond the call of duty
The principal highlighted that what sets the school apart is its openness to students who might otherwise be left behind. She explained that many of the students enrolled in the school were on the verge of dropping out, often after repeated failures and being denied re-admission by their previous schools.
“In this school, I must admit that while we do get a few merit students, those scoring 80% or 75%, they make up perhaps 15% of the total. The majority are students who have been refused admission elsewhere,” said the principal.
She added that although the classrooms were crowded and she ideally wished to admit more high-performing students, she felt a strong sense of responsibility to accommodate those who had nowhere else to go.
Swüro also cited an example of how teachers at the school went above and beyond their responsibilities by personally financing a student’s higher education after they graduated from the school, as the student’s parents were unable to afford the costs.
She remarked that the school was fortunate to have a dedicated team of sincere and regular teachers. “They’re so committed that they even worry when they have to take leave,” she noted, adding that the teachers shared a deep sense of attachment and care for their students. “They are not only hardworking and devoted, but also God-fearing, an attribute that brings humility and sincerity to their work.”
Today, as a new school building nears completion, Jotsoma’s water-for-education barter stands as a lasting success, transforming a community effort into a centre of academic and innovative excellence.
Also Read: Research reveals true nature of gender inequality in Northeast India
You just read a story that took days to report. Help us keep our reporters on the ground in the Northeast.
Ad-free reading, support and keep important stories alive
Support once (any amount)
Scan to pay via UPI