M’laya’s PGI disaster: VPP asks MDA govt not to dismiss report as outdated data

SHILLONG, June 22: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has criticised Meghalaya’s lowest rank in the 2023-24 Performance Grading Index (PGI) report, calling it “disappointing”.
VPP’s Shillong MP, Ricky AJ Syngkon expressed concern over the state’s pathetic performance and called for a complete overhaul of the education system. He cautioned the government against dismissing the report as outdated data.
“The truth remains, regardless of the data’s age. I have personally witnessed the poor condition of many schools, and the report simply reflects that reality,” Syngkon said.
He outlined the need to address serious shortcomings right from upper primary to higher secondary levels and warned that superficial changes would not bring meaningful reform. “Unless the government addresses the root problems at the foundational level, it will be difficult to bring about real transformation,” he added.
Calling education the cornerstone of Meghalaya’s development, the Shillong MP urged the state government to take strong, corrective measures to address systemic deficiencies.
A day after the rankings were announced by the Union Education Ministry, Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma blamed technicalities and structural challenges for the state’s poor performance.
Sangma explained that the data considered for the ranking was outdated and did not accurately reflect improvements currently underway.
He also highlighted the lack of electricity in many schools, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas and stated that the PGI penalised the state for this reason.
Sangma acknowledged the poor infrastructure in many parts of the state and said steps are being taken to correct these issues. He said the government is planning to bring various categories of schools under one umbrella and is actively working to rectify any technical anomalies contributing to the state’s low PGI score.
The government is committed to infrastructure transformation and is actively working to rectify any technical anomalies that may be contributing to the state’s low PGI score, the minister added.