SHILLONG, June 28: Governor Satya Pal Malik, on Tuesday, lamented the fact that the all-important education sector is not given due importance in the country, while pointing out that Parliament never takes up discussions with regard to the sector and funds are voted without deliberations.
Addressing a programme in Mawbah here where he inaugurated the new school and college building of Shri. Kanchi Kamakoti Vidya Bharati Vidyalaya, Governor Malik said that barely 6% of the country’s budget is utilised for education.
While universities in the USA and UK have hundreds of Nobel Peace Prizes, India boasts of only 12, he added.
Maintaining that the Indian education system is lacking quality due to lack of attention, Malik reiterated the need for people to embrace education, while adding that empowerment of any society can only come through education.
The new school building is constructed on the land donated by the Geonka family of Shillong and was constructed by Kanchi Kamakoti Shankara Health, Education and Charitable Trust. The school has been imparting education to students till Class 10 since 2004.
The administration of the school is being carried out by Purvottar Janajati Shiksha Samiti and Meghalaya Shiksha Smiti.
The Governor also lauded the Kanchi Kamakoti Shankara Health, Education and Charitable Trust for taking the stride in making a positive impact in the field of education through their immense contribution at the ground level.
Meanwhile, local MLA R Rapsang donated Rs 15 lakh towards school furniture while 30 bigha of land was donated by Pralad Toor, a businessman and social worker for the construction of a school at Nongboh.
Editor of The Shillong Times, Patricia Mukhim lauded the Goenka family for donating the land in a crowded city like Shillong, where every free space is intended to be turned into a mall.
“This school is equivalent to constructing a temple and it is a temple of knowledge,” she said, as she aired concern over the school drop-outs in rural areas of the state due to financial problems suffered by the families.
