SHILLONG, Oct 25: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Tuesday called on Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, seeking revamp of educational facilities.
The KSU South Khasi Hills District Unit (KSU-SKHDU) on Tuesday sought the upgrade of Sohra Government College besides the establishment of a Higher Secondary School in Khatarshnong area.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the education minister, KSU-SKHDU vice president Riches Malngiang said that the state government must ensure immediate introduction of both Commerce and Science streams at Sohra Government College.
Lamenting that the college only provides Arts stream currently, he said that introduction of the two new streams will greatly benefit the students.
Malngiang also stressed on the need to immediately inaugurate the extended college building so that enrolment of students into the two new streams can be seamless.
“We would like to see that the enrolment to the two streams should be done in the next academic session,” he said.
Meanwhile, KSU-SKHDU vice president said that Khatarshnong area, which consists of 40 villages and is home to around 10,000 people, is yet to have a higher secondary school.
Stating that Khatarshnong is one of the remotest areas under Sohra Civil Subdivision, thanks to lack of proper road connectivity, Malngiang said that the area only has two secondary schools, 36 lower primary schools and 14 upper primary schools.
“There is an urgent need for the setting up of higher secondary schools in the area to ensure students of the area have an access to higher education,” the KSU-SKHDU vice president said.
Meanwhile, the KSU South West Khasi Hills District Unit (KSU-SWKHDU), on the other hand, exhorted the state government to establish District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), and set up residential schools and SSLC examination centres in South West Khasi Hills.
Speaking to reporters after calling on the education minister on Tuesday, KSU-SWKHDU education secretary Ivanroy Synrem stressed on the need to establish the DIET in South West Khasi Hills, while lamenting that students from the district willing to pursue Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) have to go to Nongstoin in West Khasi Hills to do the same.
Synrem also stated that instead of setting up the Block Institute of Education and Training Centre (BIETC), the foundation stone for which has already been laid, the government should lay focus on establishing the DIET in the district instead.
“We feel that the state government should set up DIET instead of BIETC in the district. The students from the district would be able to train in the institute if they are keen to take up the teaching profession,” the KSU-SWKHDU education secretary said.
He also urged the state government to set up an SSLC examination centre for the benefit of the students from Wahkaji, Umdohlun and Phlangdiloin areas.
Synrem also said that the Education department had proposed setting up a residential school at Shnongkalong about ten years ago, which is yet to see the light of day.
He also suggested the government to sanction teaching posts in Rangthong Nongbah Government Lower Primary School, Nongummer Government Lower Primary School, Pyndenkseh Sepngi Government Lower Primary School, Mawranglang Government Lower Primary School, Rangblang Pombriew Government Lower Primary School, Phlangkynshi Government Lower Primary School and Thangrai Government Lower Primary School.
Synrem also exhorted the government to inspect various government schools in South West Khasi Hills and Mawsynram C&RD Block that required immediate repair or upgrade.
