It is now five years since the foundation stone was unveiled for an Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) in Nengkhra, East Garo Hills, but the project has been all but forgotten by the government, the local unit of the Garo Students Union (GSU) said in a letter to the Chief Minister today.
Cabinet minister and Williamnagar MLA Marcuise N Marak of the National People’s Party (NPP) did the honours at the unveiling on March 5, 2019. “This project was widely welcomed by the people of Nengkhra and also all the adjoining areas” of East Garo Hills, the GSU said because there is a lack of quality educational institutions in the region, forcing a majority of students to seek better education elsewhere.
To the frustration of the people, five and a half years have passed but “there has been no visible progress on the construction of the school,” the GSU added, even though it was mentioned in the NPP manifesto for Williamnagar ahead of the 2023 state election.
In the manifesto, it was stated that the project would begin soon and that it had been allocated to WEBCOS for execution, the letter stated.
“The long delay in this project raises serious concern regarding the sincerity of the government in addressing the educational needs of the people,” the GSU said. “Furthermore, the inclusion of this unfinished project in the 2023 manifesto, despite no significant progress, leads us to question whether this was merely a ploy to garner votes without genuine intent to complete the project. This neglect reflects not only on the people of Nengkhra but also the entire East Garo Hills district, where access to quality education is severely limited.”
