By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 4: Hundreds of rural schools across Meghalaya are staring at a total collapse of secondary education following a decade-long freeze on government grant-in-aid, the Meghalaya Schools Welfare Development Association (MSWDA) has revealed.
The association stated that since 2014, the state government has effectively stopped extending financial lifelines to newly established “permitted” secondary schools. This has forced teachers to survive on a pittance, funded by meager fees from rural parents who often struggle to afford basic necessities.
MSWDA president HM Marbaniang noted that while some schools receive “Science Grants,” the government has failed to provide adhoc grants for general subjects.
This policy gap leaves history, language, and social science teachers without state support, a move the association suggests prioritizes STEM optics over the foundational stability of the teaching workforce.
The funding crisis has led to a staffing emergency. According to Marbaniang, some schools are currently operating with only one or two teachers because all new recruitment has been halted. This neglect directly impacts examination results and the overall quality of education in rural and semi-urban areas.
Data provided by the association also highlights a significant regional disparity regarding Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) schools. Out of 1,544 schools facing management bottlenecks and “No Objection Certificate” (NOC) disputes, 1,434 are located in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills, while only 10 are in the Garo Hills. This suggests a systemic bureaucratic hurdle specifically affecting the eastern part of the state.
These “Non-NOC” issues often involve a tug-of-war between local communities, who built the schools, and a government seeking control without providing the necessary funding.
The MSWDA has previously submitted multiple memoranda to the Education Minister and the Chief Minister throughout 2025, but claims it has received no positive response.
To address the “lost decade” of educational infrastructure, the association has called a general meeting on April 6 at 11:00 am at the Khasi National Durbar Hall, Mawkhar. All presidents and secretaries of School Management Committees, principals, and teachers from permitted unaided schools have been urged to attend to discuss the survival of the rural education system.
