Editor,
This letter is prompted by the insightful article published in today’s edition of The Shillong Times, titled ‘Revitalizing K–12 Education in Meghalaya using the Universal Design for Learning Framework’, authored by Carmo d’Britto Noronha.’
The article raises timely and important questions about the direction of education and human capital development in our State, and it offers readers an opportunity to reflect on both achievements and areas needing further attention.
At the outset, it is only right to acknowledge the sincere efforts being made by the Government of Meghalaya. Initiatives such as the ADB-supported Supporting Human Capital Development (SHCD) project, the World Bank-backed MPOWER programme, and the large-scale infrastructure work under Mission Education–IV demonstrate a clear and committed vision to improve the school environment across Meghalaya. These programmes deserve appreciation as they signal a strong focus on long-term improvement.
However, the findings presented in the Performance Grading Index (PGI 2.0, 2023–24) serve as a gentle reminder that the foundational years of schooling still require greater collective effort. Meghalaya’s ranking, particularly in foundational learning, infrastructure, and governance, does not in any way reflect a lack of dedication among teachers or education officials. Rather, it highlights systemic challenges that must be addressed with sustained focus and support.
The Government’s own assessments under Mission Education–IV have identified several lower primary schools that require urgent rebuilding or repair due to old, damaged, or unsafe structures. The decision to prioritise more than 150 such schools in the first phase is a commendable step. Continuing this effort with an emphasis on lower primary schools, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas, would significantly enhance safety, attendance, and learning.
Similarly, national Samagra Shiksha review reports have noted occasional delays in the distribution of free textbooks and uniforms in some north eastern states, including Meghalaya. For many young learners, especially from low-income households, receiving these essentials on time provides both motivation and readiness for the school year. Ensuring timely availability would greatly support early learning.
Teacher development remains central to educational progress. Meghalaya has taken encouraging steps in this direction, yet review meetings have observed that some in-service training programmes unintentionally coincide with school hours, resulting in disrupted learning for children. The NEP 2020 recommendation of 50 hours of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) per year is a valuable guideline, and expanding vacation-period training or strengthening school-based mentoring can support teachers while keeping teaching-learning continuity intact.
Monitoring is another quiet but critical element. The State Education Commission Report (2025) and PGI findings both emphasise the need for more regular academic supervision, especially in remote areas. Revitalising School Management Committees (SMCs) through capacity-building can help strengthen community involvement and accountability, ultimately benefiting children.
While Meghalaya has made commendable progress in areas such as early childhood development, secondary education, and youth empowerment, the success of these broader reforms ultimately rests on the strength of our foundational stage. A strong beginning in Classes I to V creates confident learners, reduces dropouts in later years, and contributes directly to a more skilled and empowered young population.
I share these thoughts with humility and deep respect for the ongoing efforts of the Government, educators, and community stakeholders. Strengthening foundational schooling is not simply a policy choice—it is an investment in the future of our children and our State.
Yours etc..,
Jairaj,
Via email
Children’s obsession with mobile phones
Editor,
Children’s growing addiction to smartphones has become a serious concern. Excessive screen time is affecting their mental health, weakening their concentration, and causing behavioural issues. It also harms their physical well-being, disrupts their studies, and hinders their overall growth and understanding. Parents must set clear limits on smartphone usage and ensure that children engage in healthier activities such as reading, outdoor play, and creative learning. Responsible guidance at home can help protect children from the long-term negative effects of phone addiction.
Yours etc.,
Arshad Bastavi,
Mumbai
Thomas Macaulay and Indian languages
Editor,
The onslaught of invaders over the last roughly 600 years have tirelessly and significantly compromised Indian culture and its various languages. No less were the efforts of the British raj to undermine Indian languages and impose English as a superior form of instruction in academic institutions, including in governance. The contribution of the Englishman, Thomas B. Macaulay is controversial as he aggressively attacked India’s classical languages (Sanskrit and Persian). Macaulay’s primary target was not the spoken languages of the common people, but the literary languages of the elite: Sanskrit and Persian. Before Macaulay, the British East India Company funded the printing of Sanskrit and Arabic books to win the favor of Indian elites. Macaulay halted this. He famously argued that the historical and scientific information contained in Sanskrit and Arabic was myth and superstition. His quote in Macaulay’s Minute (1835) “I have never found one among them [Orientalists] who could deny that a single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia”. Moreover, he stopped the funding for printing Oriental works and shifted all financial support to English education.
Macaulay’s policy had an ironic effect. By forcing English literature on the Indian intelligentsia, he inadvertently sparked a renaissance in Indian vernacular literature. Figures like Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and Michael Madhusudan Dutt were “Macaulay’s Children”—highly Anglicized and educated in English—who eventually returned to their mother tongue (Bengali) and modernized it, creating the first modern Indian novels and epic poetry. Despite the literary boom, the status of Indian languages suffered. English became the language of power, courts, and high-paying jobs. Vernaculars became the language of the poor and uneducated. This created a linguistic tier system that persists today: the “English-medium” elite vs. the “Vernacular-medium” masses. Post-independence, too little was done by successive governments to reverse this due to various compulsions. However, Macaulay also must have known that nothing is permanent. No language is inferior or superior. English language, though necessary, is not absolute as rightly exhibited by countries like Japan, China, Russia, Korea etc. Diverse India is now at a language crossroads, however, the present union government is seized of the matter and hopefully Indian languages will revert to its past glory.
Yours etc.,
Dr HS Ranhotra,
Shillong
