The university has started work for setting up a Centre of Community Education and skills training in the Chuchuiymlang village of Mokokchung district, Nagaland under the Community College Scheme. Required land for the proposed centre, also envisioned as an IGNOU Centre of Excellence, has been allotted to IGNOU free of cost by the villagers under the aegis of Nagaland Gandhi Ashram (NGA). The IGNOU Centre of Excellence proposes to begin with Social work programmes, such as Master in Social Work (MSW), to ensure steady grooming of social workers for Indian communities. Gradually other vocational education and training programmes will be started. While the university will carry out all activities related to academic functioning of the Centre, the NGA will continue to remain the principal facilitator. Recently a three-member IGNOU team discussed with the villagers on wide-ranging issues.
Addressing the villagers, officer incharge of the team, Dr Jayashree Kurup, Deputy Director for Educational Development of North East Region Unit (EDNERU), told that the decision for setting up the proposed Centre of Excellence in the village was part of the university's Silver Jubilee Year development activities aiming to spread real-life education. Such education will empower people and ensure them better livelihood.
