By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 19: Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Friday informed that the state government has constituted a core committee for consultations and subsequent implementation of both the Meghalaya State Education Policy (MSEP) and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which are identical in nature.
“The state policy will be implemented simultaneously with the NEP 2020 as their guiding principles are almost identical,” Rymbui said.
Replying to a query by North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum, Rymbui said that the state Education Policy was finalised and cleared by the Cabinet in 2018.
Pointing out that MSEP lays equal stress on vocational training of the youth, the minister said, “The broad goals of MSEP ensures equitable access from primary to tertiary, technical and vocational education and training and promotion of livelong learning.”
He further informed that the vocational education was implemented in 2017 under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) funded by the Ministry of Education in all the 11 districts of the state.
Reading out details, Rymbui said 25 government schools have been availing this scheme and 30 new schools will implement it in this academic session. “The vocational sector includes IT, ITES, tourism, electronics, beauty and wellness, agriculture, health care and multi skilling,” he said.
“The course has been duly recognised by MBoSE as an additional subject in the secondary section and elective subject at the higher secondary level,” he added.
Earlier replying to a query on the current status of the implementation of Right to Education in the state, Rymbui said, “The academic authority is set to finalise the first state curriculum framework.””
“A task force has been constituted and it has carried out numerous rounds of consultations,” he added.
He informed that DERT has developed the Meghalaya Learning Enrichment for Academic Development (MLEAD) platform as mandated in the RTE Act, 2009 for training of in service teachers.
“It is a six-month-long professional development course for teachers to be offered through online and offline modes,” he said.
The minister also informed that the academic authority has designed and implemented the process of holistic school quality assessment on a regular basis through the Meghalaya School Improvement Program (MSIP) and it has been trailed successfully in 800 schools after which it has been rolled out in all elementary schools of the state by the Directorate of School Education and Literacy.
Furthermore, he informed that for school development and improvement planning under the preparation of the school development plan under RTE State Rules, the same has been factored in under MSIP and a total of 1,069 schools have registered and uploaded their school improvement plans for the session 2020-2021.