SHILLONG, Oct 27: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma Thursday said action would be taken against any ghost school that takes financial support from the state government.
He, however, told journalists during an official programme that there is no proof of such schools existing only on paper. The programme entailed the inauguration of a North Eastern Council-funded auditorium and classrooms and RUSA-funded construction and renovation at the College of Teacher Education (PGT).
Sangma said there may be instances of schools functioning with very few students. “Ghost schools are unlikely, but action will be taken if such non-existent schools take financial support from the government,” he added.
On the security personnel firing tear gas shells on agitating contractual teachers recently, he said the government was waiting for a report.
“I am personally not in favour of violence. I always believe dialogue is the best way to move forward,” he said.
Sangma said the MDA government, unlike its predecessors, has been constructing lower primary and higher secondary schools from Rs 50-60 crore collected annually as cess on minerals.
The chief minister said he was against closing down schools or reducing their number from about 16,000 across the state.
“There are many challenges in running so many schools,” he said, comparing Meghalaya with Manipur, which has about 5,000 schools.
He resented the poor performance of students in some of the schools.
