By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has criticised school managing committees for the dismal performance of students in SSLC examinations.
Laying the foundation stone for the first ever Lower Primary School at Damdiloka village in South West Garo Hills on Saturday afternoon, Sangma expressed his disappointment and concern over the poor performance of students of the district in SSLC exams.
Coming down heavily on the school managing committees who have been empowered to take full responsibility of the management of their respective schools and for their failure to ensure better education, Sangma said that it was disappointing. “If students of private schools where teachers get less salary than their counterparts in government school can fare well in their studies, what is the reason for students in government schools failing so miserably,” he questioned.
Power without responsibility will destroy our nation, he said and visibly expressed his pain saying “if SMCs are failing in their responsibilities then they are cheating their own people and compromising with the future of their children.”
It was a jubilant moment for the villagers of Damdiloka, which falls under the newly created Damalgre C&RD Block, as their first school which was opened only in February this year would soon be getting its permanent building. The project is being sponsored under Other Programmes (State Plan) 2017-18 at a cost of Rs. 15 lakh and implemented through the Border Areas Development and Education departments.
Before the opening of this school, the children from Damdiloka had to walk about 2 kms to go to the nearest school located in Goragre village. Stating that it was the responsibility of both State and Central governments to ensure that every village has its own school, the chief minister said, “It is an irony that this village is getting its first school only in the 45th year of Meghalaya’s statehood which is long overdue”.
He however, expressed hope that the school will be a harbinger of development in the area and urged upon the school managing committee to take full responsibility and ensure that the school caters to all round growth and development of their children.
He gave tips and suggestion to the school managing committee for proper management of the school to make it one of the best schools in the area.
He also assured people of the village that the students of the school would get the right kind of handholding and guidance since the teachers appointed in their school were trained teachers.
This was because the government has started a programme for training young aspiring teachers with a scholarship of Rs 5,000 per month for two years so that they are trained even before they get into the teaching profession, he said.
South West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner CVD Diengdoh, while expressing his happiness that the village would soon be getting its permanent school building, urged upon the community to ensure that a good building comes up which would become a landmark in the village and make their best efforts to see that this school becomes a centre of excellence that will bring about change in the lives of the people of the village.