SHILLONG, May 16: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday underlined the importance of students’ welfare and factors making a positive impact on their learning regardless of the challenges faced by the education sector in the state.
“Whatever we do in the education sector, students should be at the heart of all decisions that we take as teachers, as political leaders or as a government. The outcome of all of all our decisions must always be student driven”, the chief minister, who was speaking at the centenary celebration of Jaiaw Presbyterian Higher Secondary School, Jaiaw, here, said.
Meghalaya has close to 14,000 schools and over 55,000 teachers, which is significantly higher than other equivalent sized smaller states in the Northeast, Conrad said, while adding that the state spends almost Rs 2200 crore annually on different forms of grant-in-aid given to different schools.
He said that despite the huge investments and attention given to the education sector, the state needs to strive harder to be among the top performing states in terms of education in the country.
The CM also informed the gathering that the state will set up an Education Commission very shortly, which will look into all aspects of improving the education sector.
During the function, the Chief Minister also announced a grant of Rs 20 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Special Development Fund for extension of the building of Jaiaw Presbyterian Higher Secondary School.
The CM was accompanied by Chairman of the Meghalaya State Planning Board, Metbah Lyngdoh.
Conad congratulated and lauded the efforts of the school and all the members of the managing committee and teachers, who have played a pivotal role in guiding the institution all these years from its humble beginnings to an institute of repute contributing immensely towards the uplift of education of children mostly from the underprivileged sections of the society.
He pointed out that the day is a significant occasion to remember all the achievements of the school during the past decades and it is in the best interest that the school must plan its journey and move ahead with set targets and goals which are centred on having a positive impact on the education of its students.
