By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 9: The state government has set a clear timeline for restructuring the salary of ad hoc and SSA teachers, with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announcing on Tuesday that the a structured pay system will be in place before Christmas.
The Chief Minister made the statement at the closing ceremony of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Nartiang Presbyterian Higher Secondary School (NPHSS) in Modop, an event attended by community leaders, officials and school authorities.
Addressing the gathering, Sangma explained that education had remained at the core of the government’s priorities since 2018. He noted that the state’s education budget had expanded from Rs 2,000 crore to Rs 3,500 crore, describing it as the highest allocation Meghalaya has ever recorded and saying the impact is now visible on the ground.
He also drew attention to the structural pressures on Meghalaya’s education system, pointing out that the state manages nearly 14,000 schools and around 55,000 teachers a scale that exceeds states with much larger populations.
While outlining the ongoing process of rationalising schools, he highlighted that 206 institutions have no students despite having staff in place, and another 2,000 have between one and five students but 5 to 7 teachers. He remarked that rationalisation is a complex process that cannot happen abruptly because it affects livelihoods.
On academic opportunities, the Chief Minister said the government was evaluating the demand for science streams in higher secondary schools so that students are not deprived of subject choices. He also mentioned that the state was discussing with the Centre the possibility of setting up girls’ hostels in additional locations.
Sangma also announced Rs 20 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Special Development Fund for expanding the school building.
The programme also included the release of the Golden Jubilee souvenir, followed by performance of the school anthem and a fusion dance by the students.
