SHILLONG, Sep 27: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday said the state government has been spending a little over 15% of the state’s budget on education every year and iterated his government’s commitment to improving the overall education scenario in the state despite challenges.
The CM said this while addressing a gathering of academicians and students at a function to commemorate the silver jubilee of Mawsynram Border Area College at Mawsynram, East Khasi Hills.
“Education has been an area we have focused a lot on. It is one of the most challenging and complicated sectors. It is not easy for the government to try and resolve all issues in a short span of time. But we have taken up the challenge and are working towards improving education through various interventions — whether it is the education policy, the investment in government school buildings, the opening up of People’s College, or the support we give for infrastructure in private schools and colleges,” he said.
“A large amount of investment and a lot of thought process has gone into improving the education structure. Out of the Rs 16,000 crore the Meghalaya government spends every year, more than Rs 2,500 crore is spent on the running expenditure of different schools and colleges besides other infrastructure investments. So clearly, the kind of importance given to education can be seen by our budget on education,” Sangma said.
The government’s effort aside, all stakeholders have equal responsibility for the improvement of education in the state, he said. “We have many stakeholders in the education sector, including the political leadership and officials who comprise the government. We have teachers, parents, children, and society in general. Each has a role to play to make education improve in the short, medium, and long terms,” he said.
The CM also said the government is exploring the best possible way to upscale higher education in the rural areas through various interventions either by creating new infrastructure or by increasing the capacity of the higher educational institutes in rural areas to handle the increased student intake.
“You will see the colleges concentrated in Shillong, Tura and other district headquarters. Hence, the youth living in rural areas have less opportunity to get enrolled in higher studies due to fewer institutions in rural areas. The government is working earnestly to change this so that our students in the rural areas do not miss out on higher learning,” he said.
The CM, accompanied by Rajya Sabha member WR Kharlukhi, Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui and other dignitaries, unveiled the bust of Shrolenson Marbaniang, the founder member of Mawsynram Border Area College and released the silver jubilee souvenir of the college on the occasion.
