By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 3: The Meghalaya government is staring at an admission crisis due to an unprecedented surge in SSLC pass-outs and thousands more appearing in the ongoing supplementary exams.
Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma on Saturday said the government has initiated emergency measures to ensure every eligible student finds a place in higher secondary institutes this year.
The state’s educational system is under intense pressure due to the record rise in pass percentage and the need to accommodate an excess of around 12,000 students.
To address this, the government has upgraded 723 government institutions to full-fledged higher secondary schools offering arts, science, and commerce streams. Private schools have also been upgraded, with 97 institutions upgrading their status this year alone.
Most upgraded institutions are now absorbing the student inflow, but the pressure is set to intensify further as over 7,000 students are writing their supplementary examinations.
Sangma said the move to elevate secondary schools to higher secondary level has been on the agenda, but he admitted that it should have been done sooner, as per the National Education Policy 2020.
Identifying 50 schools for grant
for HS education: Conrad
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Saturday said the government is in the process of identifying 50 schools across the state which will receive a one-time grant to build additional classrooms and introduce higher secondary education.
Sangma said the scheme will be rolled out to both government and private schools in selected locations on a need basis. The schools, however, will have to meet certain criteria set by the Education Department pertaining to student enrolment numbers, pass percentages from previous years, etc.
“Schools in selected areas that fulfil the criteria set by the government will be eligible for the scheme for a one-time building grant,” the chief minister said after inaugurating four new classrooms for the Bidanchi Higher Secondary School, Tura.
The classrooms were constructed with assistance from the Chief Minister’s Special Development Fund. Sangma announced an additional Rs 10 lakh to the school for the introduction of a higher secondary stream from this academic session.
Lauding the Education Department for its various interventions to support and guide students preparing for the Class X board exam, including CM–IMPACT guidebooks, he said, “Close to 60,000 students appear for the SSLC exam every year, and the pass rate earlier was roughly 25 per cent, particularly in rural areas. We were not able to nurture the dreams of our students. But this year’s result is very satisfying as most of our students passed the exam. There are critics who have different views on this, but I am extremely happy to see that the children passed the exam and will take up higher studies.”
He disclosed that the one-time grant will be up to Rs 50 lakh for school building construction.
He lauded the Bidanchi Higher Secondary School management for continuing to serve the society despite challenges over the years. He also inaugurated the newly-constructed “Active Learning Centre” at the school.
Terming investment in the youth as an investment in the future, Sangma said, “The youth of our nation are our greatest strength, our opportunity, and our challenge. Any expenditure on their education is an investment in the future of our state and the country. India’s rise as a global superpower will depend on how we nurture our young generation.”
He expressed the government’s commitment to improving grassroots education infrastructure and ensuring that every child—regardless of geography—has access to quality and inclusive education. “Our goal is not just to build structures, but to build futures,” he said.