SHILLONG, Sep 15: In a move that is likely to give a much-needed impetus to the education sector, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday said in the Assembly that the cess collected for education that was being used for other purposes will now be utilised on construction or renovation of all government schools in the state, all within the next 100 days.
As many as 1,600 schools are likely to benefit from the decision.
Replying to a short-duration discussion, the CM admitted that cess was being collected from minerals for the purpose of education but was not being actually spent for that purpose. “The Cabinet has decided to utilise the funds for the purpose it is meant for,” he said.
Recalling that in the last two years, the government has undertaken a project to renovate 208 government LP schools which were in a dilapidated state, Sangma said almost 100 of them have been completed out of which half of them will be virtually inaugurated by September-end.
Under phase II of the project, another 100 schools will be taken up in addition to 11 higher secondary schools and the government will spend an average of Rs 3-5 crore depending on the estimates.
Another 115 schools will be taken up in the third phase, he added.
The CM said the government has come up with a 100-day mission programme under which the schools have been divided into three categories A (new building), B (minor repairs) and C (not very bad) depending on their condition. As the discussion on the education sector continued, TMC’s Rangsakona legislator Zenith Sangma urged the Education department to urgently appoint teachers on a contractual basis in government LP schools to allow the children to continue their education.
“There are as many as 36 govt LP schools without even a single teacher. What will be the fate of the students and what alternative steps are being taken to ensure that their schooling is not affected,” Zenith said during the question hour.
In his reply, Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said students of LP schools without teachers are currently attending nearby schools.
“We have approved rationalisation of post of the teachers in most of the schools where there are none,” Rymbui said, explaining that the problem has cropped up due to retirement or transfer or resignation of the incumbent teachers.
He also reminded the House that the High Court judgment on the roster system has added to the problem. “The roster system is almost ready. We hope to begin the recruitment process as early as possible,” Rymbui said.
TMC’s Winnerson Sangma countered Rymbui, stating that two LP schools in his constituency (Salmanpara) were without teachers.
“These schools run by a single teacher have been without one for two-and-a-half years,” Winnerson pointed out.
In his response, Rymbui claimed that he was not aware of the two schools mentioned by the MLA.
