Tura, Feb 3: The Meghalaya Koch Association (MKA) hosted its 54th Annual Koch Conference cum Cultural Programme from the 2nd to the 4th of February, drawing notable attendees including Chief Minister Shri Conrad K Sangma and various MLAs and community leaders. The event, organized at Jatrakona, South Garo Hills, witnessed discussions centered on the preservation and promotion of the Koch language.
Chief Minister Sangma addressed the gathering, underlining the significance of safeguarding native languages. He expressed a commitment to exploring the proposal to incorporate the Koch language into schools within Koch regions of Meghalaya. Emphasizing youth empowerment, the Chief Minister proposed initiatives such as PRIME, CM-ELEVATE, and YESS Meghalaya during the conference.
The Chief Minister also said that the conference besides showcasing the past of the Koch community will also encourage cross-cultural education to foster understanding and appreciation of different cultures of the State. He further assured support of the government to establish cultural centres to conserve and develop values.
Welcoming the suggestion of the Meghalaya Koch Association to promote indigenous languages like Koch, Hajong etc., in schools instead of Assamese and Bengali languages the Chief Minister said, “Even the New Education Policy accords due importance to the recognition and promotion of local languages, keeping in view India’s rich linguistic traditions,” he said and assured the Koch Association of help so that the matter will reach to its logical conclusion.
The MKA, in alignment with the New Education Policy, submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, urging the inclusion of the Koch language as the medium of instruction in Lower and Upper Primary Schools in Koch-dominated villages. Sangma, in response, assured the Koch community that the government would consider this proposal.
In addition to language preservation, the MKA memorandum appealed for financial grants from the Meghalaya Government to establish career counseling centers in Koch villages. The goal is to prepare young boys and girls for competitive exams, addressing the low literacy rate within the Koch tribe. Highlighting the community’s challenges, the MKA emphasized the need for increased reservation percentages for indigenous minority tribes, aiming for at least 15 percent to enhance opportunities for youth in government jobs.
As the 54th Annual Koch Conference concluded, the Meghalaya Koch Association stated that it remained hopeful for positive government actions to uplift the Koch community and preserve its cultural and linguistic heritage.
Other leaders who attended the program were MLA, Salmanpara, Ian Botham K Sangma, MLA, Baghmara, Kartush R Marak, MLA, Chokpot, Sengchim N Sangma, former MDC of Betasing, Nripen Koch, MDC of Barengapara, Pramod Koch and President of Meghalaya Koch Association Jibananda Koch.