TURA, Nov 25: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Wednesday announced that that the state government will be completing all the pending projects pertaining to infrastructure of the education sector including model schools and residential schools within this financial year.
Conrad announced this while addressing distinguished guests at a programme to inaugurate the approach road from Edenbari, Tura to Harding Theological College Residential School.
He announced that close to Rs 100 crore has been earmarked to complete these half-finished schools.
The chief minister also said that his government will ensure there are reforms to the education sector which will benefit the student community for generations to come.
“From completing pending school projects to increasing scholarship and putting in place a new system for skill development, our government is going all out to reinvigorate the education sector,” said Conrad.
Meghalaya has around 3,000 government-run lower primary schools, 70 per cent of which have never been repaired since they were constructed.
The state government is also going ahead with another project to construct college buildings in Baghmara, Williamnagar and Sohra, which it intends to complete by December 2022.
Scholarship
The state government has also decided to up the scholarship for students by up to four times. Announcing this, the chief minister said that if a student was earlier receiving Rs 5,000 as scholarship, he or she will get Rs 20,000 now.
Stressing on the reforms to the education sector, he said the participation of the society along with government is required to transform education in Meghalaya.
Conrad also urged the community to ensure that the youths and children continue to work hard to be on par with students from other parts of the country.
Skill & hobby learning
The chief minister also spoke about the skill and hobby learning initiative and said that the goal is not only allow students to learn from the textbooks but also equip them with skills, which is aimed at making them employable.
“Meghalaya Government will allow each student to choose one skill and one hobby. The programmes will be funded by the Government of India and Government of Meghalaya together,” revealed Conrad Sangma.