MAWKYRWAT: The state government has admitted that the reason behind the stopping of construction of the Block Institute of Education & Training Centre (BIET) at Sakwang, South West Khasi Hills (SWKH) District, which is still in doldrums even after five years of construction, was ‘fund constraints’.
This was informed by Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui to the delegations of the Khasi Students Union (KSU), SWKH district, who met him on Monday.
Pulljohn Wanniang, secretary of Education Cell of the KSU, SWKH, told The Shillong Times that the education minister has informed them that the project was initially funded by the Centre but later, handed over to the state government.
However, the state government cannot not complete the project because of fund constraints.
Wanniang also said that the union also requested Rymbui to speed up and complete the residential school at Shnongkalong, SWKH district, which was started in 2014-15 and also to provide grant-in-aid for the science graduate teachers in all the newly permitted secondary schools in the district.
“There are about 40 single-teacher lower primary schools in South West Khasi Hills District, wherein one teacher had to teach 40-70 students ranging from class KG to V, which has burdened the teacher and also the students are deprived of the education which they deserve. Therefore, we urge that the government should immediately sanction additional posts to these schools to solve the problems,” Wanniang said.
“To all these issues raised by the union, the education minister gave only one reason, that is, ‘fund constraints’, and that the government finds it difficult to execute the plans even though it wants to,” he added.
The KSU delegate also said that despite the government’s problems, which the public does understand, they put their faith in those that hold the responsibility to work for them.
The union expects and urges upon the minister to find solutions to all the problems and speed up the implementation of the projects for the benefits of all students and youths of the district and the state as a whole, he added.
Demand for SSLC exam centre
The KSU also demanded that the government should set up an SSLC examination centre in Wahkaji-Umdohlun-Phlangdiloin area as till date, the students from the region have to walk around 20 to 25 km to attend the SSLC examination at Rangblang village every year.
“To this, the minister has assured that he will instruct the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE) to visit the place and do the needful,” Wanniang informed.
The union also demanded that the Sngap Syiem College, Mawkyrwat, which is the only college in SWKH District, be turned into a community college even as it raised the issue regarding the non-sanctioning of additional posts for the college.
In this regard, Rymbui informed that the Sngap Syiem College will benefit only in terms of infrastructure being the Model Degree College.
“While admitting the slow implementation of decision by the government, the minister assured that the government will take up Sngap Syiem College seriously after completing the infrastructure,” Wanniang said.
