Formal Education in Mizoram started with the arrival of Christian Missionaries. It was the Christian missionaries who abridged Mizo language into writing. In doing so they adopted Roman scripts in 1894. For more than half of the 20^th century, i.e. from 1895 to 1952, the Church through Honorary Inspector of Schools looked after Elementary Education. The important landmarks in the field of education in Mizoram are given below:

Sl.No                                          Events                                                                                       Year

1.             First Primary School

                At Aizawl................................................................................................................. 1898

                At rural areas......................................................................................................... 1901

2.             Opening of the First Upper Primary School ................................................... 1907

3.             Opening of the First High School...................................................................... 1944

4.             Establishments of the First College................................................................. 1958

5.             First PSLC Examination...................................................................................... 1903

6.             First MS LC Examination.................................................................................... 1909

7.             First Matriculation Examination......................................................................... 1948

8.             Establishments of the First College of

                Teachers Education............................................................................................ 1975

9.             Establishment of Mizoram Board of School

                Education …..…………………………………………...1975

10.          Establishment of SCERT…………………..………..…1980

11.          Establishment of Mizoram University………..…….. 2000

12      Establishment of ICFAI in the State....................................................................... 2005

13.     Establishment of 6 Mini Diets in the State............................................................ 2005.

The above events or landmarks facts clearly establish the fact that Mizoram is a late starter in the field of general education. Starting with a literacy rate of 0.9% in 1901 census, Mizoram achieved a literacy of 88.49% in 2001 census. With the implementation of Eradication of Residual Literary Project, which is proposed to be completed by mid 2006, it is expected to achieve higher percentage literacy. The actual number of illiterate between the age group of 15 – 35 as per Mid-term appraisal of the project is placed below:-

Table No. 7. Adult Illiterate (15 – 35 yrs.) in district-wise

Source : Mid Term Appraisal of ERIP 2005

As already noted by the Project Approval Board in its meeting held on 15^th January 2002, all schools and colleges in Mizoram were established by the community, which were in turn taken over by the Government on merit of the case. The zeal and enthusiasm of the community in establishing and opening of educational institutions is quite encouraging. This spirit could be the harbinger towards achieving the goal of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

3.1          Administrative Structures

In Mizoram, Human Resource Development Department is divided into two Directorates each of which is headed by a Director. They are School Education Department and Higher & Technical Education Department. School Education Department deals with Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Teacher Education, Adult Education, Language and Physical Education. The following adminograph lucidly represents the administrative structure of School Education Department –

Figure:          Adminograph of School Education, Mizoram

 In the context of Mizoram, there is no separate Department to deal with Elementary Education & Literacy. However, Joint Director (S) of School Education Department is entrusted to deal with files relating to SSA project within the department.

3.2          School System.

The school system in Mizoram consists of four distinct stages. They are as follows: –  

                     Sl.No                    Stage                                                                Classes

                          1.             Primary School                                           Class I                –      Class IV

                          2.             Middle School                                             Class V               –      Class VII

                          3.             High School                                                Class VIII            –      Class X

                          4.             Higher Secondary School                        Class XI              –      Class XII

Public Examination is conducted at the end of each stage. Such Examinations are as follows: -

Sl.No                      Stage                                                     Name of Exam

1.                                                               1                Class ­­– IV                        Primary School Leaving Certificate Examination

        2                Class – VII                       Middle School Leaving Certificate Examination

        3                Class – X                         High School Leaving Certificate Examination

        4                Class – XII                       Higher Sec. School Leaving Certificate Examination

Mention may be made here that PSLC and MSLC examinations were conducted by the examination Cell with common Questions from the MBSE. The answer papers were then evaluated by a panel of selected teachers at the district level and results were thus prepared by the Examination Cell constituted in each District for the purpose.

3.3          Community Participation

As already mentioned in the foregoing Para, community participation in the schooling system and that of general education is quite encouraging. All habitations have a Village Education Committee established as per the Mizoram Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Constitution, Function and Power) Regulation 2002. The Village Education Committee is delegated specific powers and functions for the discharge of their responsibilities and duties. All the Village Education Committee has formulated Village Elementary Education Plans (VEEP) according to which this year’s Annual Work Plan & Budget is formulated.

In Mizoram, the community established Upper Primary Schools in such habitations where none exists as the community realized the necessity of opening such school for primary school graduates. So is the case with establishment of High Schools and even Colleges. The Community engaged qualified persons from their locality to work on volunteer basis and were paid a small amount of honorarium from fund collected from the parents till such time the schools are aided by the Government.