By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, Aug 18: The 1st MLP Battalion Secondary School, Mawiong Umjapung, concluded its Golden Jubilee celebrations with great enthusiasm and pride on Monday.
The school was founded in 1975 under the leadership of JC Mawroh, IPS, the then Commandant of the 1st Battalion, Meghalaya Police.
It was established to cater primarily to the educational needs of children of Battalion personnel and began as a Lower Primary and Middle English School at Bishnupur, Shillong, the erstwhile Battalion headquarters.
With the relocation of the Battalion Headquarters in 1981, the school too shifted to its present campus at Umjapung, Mawiong. Initially, classes were held in two shifts (morning and afternoon) in an Assam-type barrack. Over time, the school began enroling children from the Mawiong locality as well.
In 1998, responding to the growing demand for higher education among the children of police personnel and local residents, the institution was upgraded to the Secondary School level. Today, the 1st Battalion Meghalaya Police Secondary School functions as a co-educational institution, provisionally affiliated to the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE), and follows the NCERT curriculum. The medium of instruction is English, with the aim of providing students a global standard of education. The school now offers a comprehensive learning pathway, from Kindergarten up to Secondary level.
From its modest beginnings, the school has steadily grown, enroling a significant number of students from Lower Primary to Secondary sections. Since its upgrade, the school has consistently performed well in the SSLC Board Examinations despite limited facilities.
Addressing the gathering, Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh expressed her gratitude to the 1st MLP Battalion and its founding members for their vision in establishing the school within the police campus. She acknowledged the institution’s crucial role in delivering quality education to the children of police personnel.
“I am heartened to see how this institution has evolved and now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the more affluent schools in terms of performance,” Lyngdoh said. She also underscored the importance of investing in such institutions and urged fellow legislators to support educational facilities in their constituencies.
Director General of Police, Idashisha Nongrang, also praised the school’s remarkable progress, highlighting its consistent SSLC performance as a reflection of academic commitment. Commending the authorities for honoring students who have excelled in life, she remarked, “This institution has overcome many challenges, and walking together for 50 years is a truly commendable achievement.”
Reflecting on its humble beginnings in Bishnupur five decades ago, Nongrang expressed confidence in the school’s continued growth and future success.
On the occasion, the Health minister inaugurated the newly established Computer Lab, released the Golden Jubilee souvenir, and felicitated teachers and distinguished alumni. She also announced a donation of Rs 1 lakh towards the construction of a new library.
The Golden Jubilee celebration marked a proud milestone for the 1st MLP Battalion Secondary School, showcasing its legacy of service, learning, and community development. Inspector General of Police Dalton P Marak and Commandant of the 1st Battalion, Herbert G Lyngdoh, were also present.