SHILLONG, June 29: Minister in-charge Education, Lahkmen Rymbui has ruled out holding the Class XII board examination in the remaining papers.
“People may say anything but we have to balance the situation,” he said reacting to the demand to reconsider the decision.
The Education department had earlier decided not to hold the remaining papers of the Class XII board examination and conduct re-examination for those, who missed the HSSLC and the SSLC exams, by mid-July.
The remaining papers are computer science, statistics, vocational studies and western music.
Principal of St. Anthony’s Higher Secondary School, Fr. Anthony Kharkongor had earlier requested Rymbui not to cancel the remaining papers. He argued that the students will suffer since subjects such as computer science and informatics practices are scoring subjects and the cancellation of the papers would affect their percentage and position.
The Education Minister said the Covid situation is being monitored and no decision has been arrived at on the re-opening of schools.
Meanwhile, the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE) has announced the schedule for SSLC and HSSLC re-examination. The examinations will be held from July 9-16, an MBoSE statement said on Tuesday.
State school count up to 649: Facing challenges and constant criticism, the Education Department is taking one step at a time to streamline things and has managed to increase the number of schools in the state to almost 650.
Education Minister Lakhmen Rymbui on Tuesday said the department has been trying to improve the education system, not just in words but also in action.
“That is why the number of schools has increased from 584 in 2017-18 to 649 this year,” he said, seeking cooperation from everyone for the road ahead.
Stating that Meghalaya’s challenges differ from elsewhere in the country, he said: “In other parts, schools are government-run and private. Here, we have so many aided and minority institutions, so many private institutions aided by the government and the aided institutions are not totally in the hands of the government.”
Rymbui underlined a few problems in the government sector. These include vacancies in the posts of principals, VP, DSEO and SDSEO, ad hoc appointments, poor infrastructure, number of managing committees in different schools and pay disparity between the government and government-aided teachers.
“We are trying to address these issues. We are also trying to address the problem of teachers’ training over the last three years,” he said.
He said that on the infrastructure front, the Chief Minister sanctioned 191 government LP schools and 203 higher secondary schools and secondary schools across the state for reconstruction this year.
“The infrastructure will be complete with water supply, electricity and we will also try to address the issue of connectivity of those schools,” he added.
On schools with zero pass percentage, Rymbui said: The report has been submitted and action or necessary instruction was supposed to be issued before COVID struck. The action is pending.”
