The Education Department gave itself a pat on the back for the recent high pass rate in the SSLC and HSSLC examinations as well as the news that Meghalaya’s literacy rate has increased to an impressive 94 per cent.
However, Commissioner and Secretary Vijay Kumar Mantri admitted that difficult challenges remain, not least in how to improve infrastructure on a limited budget.
The MBOSE pass rate has ballooned this year, with around 96 per cent of SSLC sitters passing their exams. Officials credit the change in question paper pattern and the CM Impact guidebook for the positive trend.
According to Mantri, the alignment of the question paper pattern with the CBSE and ICSE has been a major factor in the improvement. “We have simplified the question paper pattern, making it more concise and structured, similar to CBSE and ICSE,” he said.
The new pattern features multiple-choice questions and a more straightforward format, which has helped students perform better. The results have reached 96 per cent, comparable to the 97-98 per cent pass rates seen in CBSE and ICSE.
Mantri also attributed the success to the CM Impact guidebook, which has been particularly beneficial for students in rural areas even if it has its detractors who fear that the students have basically been given the exam answers on a platter. The guidebook provides a question-and-answer format, covering all topics and lessons and has proven to be a resource for students who lack access to textbooks and notes.
On the subject of literacy, Mantri said that the literacy rate is a complex metric that measures an individual’s ability to read and write, as defined by the central government.
While the Education Department does not directly measure literacy rates, Mantri highlighted the state’s efforts to improve education quality. One such initiative is the implementation of the central Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), which targets out-of-school children and adults through various programmes.
Mantri also emphasised the importance of teacher education and training in improving the quality of education. To address this, the department is creating guidebooks for teachers, including the CM Impact programme, which provides pedagogical support and examples to enhance teaching methodologies.
The guidebooks aim to equip teachers with the skills to simplify complex subjects, incorporate games and interactive activities and improve student engagement. By targeting pedagogy and teacher training, the department hopes to further enhance the quality of education in Meghalaya.
“So, when you talk about quality of education, there are many factors involved. One is teacher education. The training of the teachers, qualification of the teachers. And the facilities that are in the school attendance of the students and also the quality of teaching is something that’s very important. So with regard to the quality of teaching, what we are doing is that we are creating guidebooks for the teachers,” mentioned Mantri.
Challenges, however, remain, particularly in infrastructure and rational use of resources, as the government rolls out multi-phase interventions to address these issues.
Speaking on the current state of infrastructure, Mantri said a large portion of the state’s education budget – approximately Rs 2,400 crore – is allocated solely for salaries. “So, very little budget is available for improving infrastructure. And improving infrastructure is essential, especially because of the heavy rainfall Meghalaya receives,” he said.
The result of this budgetary constraint is visible in several schools that have not received government support. “Wherever schools have not been given support, they are facing a lot of difficulties,” Mantri noted.
To address these concerns, the state has launched multiple schemes. Under an Asian Development Bank (ADB) project, 65 schools are currently being upgraded with new classrooms and facilities. Additionally, the Mission Education initiative is underway in a phased manner. “Two phases have already been completed and many schools have benefited. The schools seen in recent reports will be covered under the third phase and subsequent ones,” he stated.
Another significant issue flagged by the department is the skewed distribution of teachers and schools across villages. Of the 40,000 teachers supported by the state, only 7,000 are government-appointed, with the remaining employed in private institutions. The state spends Rs 2,000 crore annually on salaries for schoolteachers and another Rs 300 crore for college staff.
“Some villages have five or more schools, while others remain underserved. There are cases where schools have zero enrolment, but still have two teachers. In other areas, two teachers are managing only three students,” Mantri pointed out.
To optimise resources and improve educational outcomes, the Education Department has begun rationalising schools. “We have identified 600 schools located next to each other – an SSA school and a government school. Since SSA is also a government initiative, you can’t have two government schools side by side,” he explained by way of example.
The state is also encouraging private schools to participate in the rationalisation exercise to avoid duplication and better serve student populations.
