By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 2: The Meghalaya government is preparing for a massive prayer service to consecrate the Captain Williamson Sangma State University on January 13. It is Meghalaya’s first state university.
“On May 28, 2023, (the new) Parliament was consecrated by Hindu rituals. As a Christian state, we want to consecrate the first state university with a massive prayer meet,” Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma said on Thursday.
“If Parliament can be blessed with Hindu rituals, why not Christian rituals in a Christian state?” he asked.
He said all cabinet ministers will attend the prayer service along with representatives from all denominations of churches in the state.
“On this day, the vice-chancellor of the university will assume the office and it will be operationalised,” he added.
In what was dubbed as historic, the Captain Williamson Sangma State University – named after the first chief minister of Meghalaya — was inaugurated in January 2023.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma inaugurated the university building located in the scenic Balalgre village of the South West Garo Hills district.
Till now, colleges in Meghalaya have been affiliated with NEHU. Colleges across the state can now be affiliated with the state university.
The education minister said his endeavour this year would be to make Shillong the educational hub again by providing quality education. “Shillong has the potential to attract students from outside the state and abroad. Our educational infrastructure and overall environment must be set right,” he said.
“No one is perfect and there is always room for improvement for everyone and everything. I have experienced a lot in these few years and there are lots to be done,” he said.
He said many reforms, big and small, have been initiated in the education sector and the process should bear fruit in the years to come.
He said the state is striving to put quality over quantity with the introduction of world-class content and materials.
Meghalaya began faltering as an education hub of the North East years ago. One of the reasons was the establishment of better educational institutions in the region, primarily Assam.