SHILLONG: Sports and Youth Affairs Minister and Mawkynrew MLA Banteidor Lyngdoh said that Ekalavya Model Residential School (EMRS) will be set up in Mawkynrew which will be of great help to the people.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Golden Jubilee celebration of Syntung Upper Primary School, Syntung on Thursday, he said that there is a need for the school to be upgraded and not remain in the adhoc category.
On the other hand, he also expressed concern on the absence of a Government College in Mawkynrew despite it being a huge constituency.
Stating that the state government is no longer keen to establish government colleges, he said that it will instead set up a community college.
He also informed that students will get an opportunity to go for science stream in Good Shepherd Higher Secondary school, Jongksha from the MP and MLA scheme.
Guest of honor and Mawkynrew MDC Martle Mukhim gave the audience a dose of his humour in which the veteran politician stressed on keeping aside political ill feelings and differences, for the best benefit of all.
He said, “I am speaking from experience and I realize we should give cooperation and coordination”.
Hinting that certain elements try to do away whatever the previous politicians started, he went ahead to say that he had witnessed politics of negativity and there was no politics of advancement.
Stating that his priority is education, the MDC said that there should be transparency in the education system. “Read books and develop yourself. We are to change the outdated system of education and promote which is vocational. The present system of education does not meet the demands of today. We should stress on human resource development”, he said adding that people should not run after white collar jobs.
Mukhim went on to say that had the locals shown willingness to take up other non-government jobs, the market would not be crowded with outsiders.
Meghalaya Upper Primary School Teachers Association (MUPSTA) Kenneth Shadap said it is an embarrassment if the school remains an adhoc school even after 50 years and assured to take up the matter seriously.
The first headmaster, Neralson Syiemlieh said that he did not expect the school to get to its present stature as he recalled that the village of Syntung was once small and backward.
The school also felicitated the first students – Rentiful Mylliemngap and Liphring Suting. Speaking to reporters, one of the first pupil, Myllimengap said that she studied at the school from Class IV to VI and later went to Jowai to study class VII.
“Back in those days, there was no road connectivity, but my house is near and I would walk to school which starts at 8 am”, she recalled. Asked, she said that the there was no English books and learned Khasi.
The school initially had classes from IV to VI and in 2012, it was upgraded to class VIII. It was managed by the Presbyterian Church, Syntung.
The Church runs the school by collecting betelnuts, betel leaves, by harvesting crops and selling them to raise funds.
