Shillong, Oct 20: The Meghalaya School Welfare Development Association has decided to seek relaxation in enrolment criteria under the grant-in-aid scheme and reiterated its demand for enhancement of teachers’ salary.
The decision was taken at a general meeting of aided and unaided permitted and recognised schools of Khasi and Jaintia Hills held at Khasi National Dorbar Hall, Mawkhar, here on Tuesday.
Association president HM Marbaniang said many schools are facing difficulty in meeting the prescribed student strength.
“We have discussed at length about the grant-in-aid scheme and the enrolment criteria. Many schools are facing problems in meeting the required strength, so we have decided to approach the government for relaxation,” he said.
On salary, he said financial hardship of schools and teachers’ pay were discussed in detail.
“The salary of teachers and financial hardship of schools were also discussed. We will continue to pursue salary enhancement and hold further discussions with authorities before deciding our next course of action,” Marbaniang said.
The meeting also discussed the CM-IMPACT PLUS Grant-in-Aid Scheme for Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools approved by the Cabinet on September 15, 2026.
Other issues raised included a notified list of schools, uniform grants, Composite School Grants and PM-POSHAN, besides concerns of permitted and recognised unaided LP and UP schools over access to government support.
Marbaniang said the association would also pursue its memorandum with the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Union Ministry of Education on NEP implementation, strengthening of Foundational Stage, infrastructure provision and relaxation of Pupil-Teacher Ratio norms under RTE Act, 2009.
On the School Complex system, he said the association was open to implementation, but matters affecting individual institutions would have to be examined by respective managements.
