By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 11: Responding to criticism from the Voice of the People Party (VPP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) regarding the closure of schools in Shillong during the Bryan Adams concert, Education Minister Rakkam Sangma stated that the Opposition is merely following its principles by opposing government decisions.
Thanking the Opposition for their criticism, Sangma remarked, “The job of the Opposition is to criticise the government. If something is white, the Opposition will call it black. If 90 per cent of people agree on something, the Opposition will oppose it just to make their presence felt.”
He further asserted that there had been no complaints from parents or teachers regarding the government’s decision. Sangma emphasised that, under the National Education Policy (NEP), education should go beyond classroom learning and include exposure to multidisciplinary fields such as sports, music, and entrepreneurship.
“Classes do not only mean sitting inside a classroom. Students must learn about sports, music, and entrepreneurship. Many students score high marks but lack awareness about the world around them,” he said.
The minister also pointed out that if the government had not closed schools during the concert, the Opposition would likely have criticised the decision for disrupting traffic and safety around the event.
Sangma concluded by reiterating the government’s commitment to holistic education and the NEP’s vision of preparing students for real-world challenges.
