SHILLONG, May 21: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said the Centre will help make Meghalaya a model state in education and entrepreneurship.
He suggested that the Centre should be the knowledge partner of the state government and be a part of the policy process.
“We reviewed the education system of Meghalaya and let me candidly compliment Chief Minister Conrad Sangma. Very soon, Meghalaya is going to be the ideal state for governance in this country,” Pradhan told reporters after a meeting on education, skill development and entrepreneurship.
Apart from Sangma and Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, senior central government officers attended the meeting held at NEHU.
Pradhan said Meghalaya has been very aggressive and proactive in implementing the National Education Policy, enthusiastic and focused on creating a hundred per cent knowledge ecosystem for its future generations not only through conventional teachings and learning methodology but also by utilising the local wisdom through its cultural background, music, sports, craftsmanship textiles, horticulture and others.
Stating that education has a primary role in enlightening the citizens, he said, “Meghalaya is on the right track and we have allotted substantial resources. The government of India will cooperate with the Meghalaya government all the way.”
Dwelling on the discussions held during the review meeting, Pradhan said, “Central government institutions such as NEHU, IIM, NIFT and IHM have been working in tandem. Henceforth, they will be part of the policy process and become knowledge partners of the Meghalaya government.”
He pointed out that there are more than 15 lakh students aged up to 25 years in Meghalaya and said it is the responsibility of the Centre and the state to create productive manpower for the future.
He tweeted later: “A progressive state like Meghalaya must also lead efforts for establishing the national digital infrastructure, especially student registration portal as a part of the NDEAR and also bring its institutions under the NIRF & NAAC framework.”
