Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has said that Meghalaya has close to 14,000 schools and over 55,000 teachers which is higher than other equivalent sized smaller states in the Northeast.
He said the State spends almost Rs 2200 crore annually on different forms of grant in aid given to different schools.
Speaking at the centenary celebration of the Jaiaw Presbyterian Higher Secondary School here today, he said that despite the huge investments and attention given to the education sector the State needs to strive harder to be among the top performing states in education in the country.
The Chief Minister also informed that very shortly the State will set up an Education Commission which will look into all aspects of improving the education sector in the State.
Speaking about the challenges in the education sector he said that decision making and problem solving are impacted by numerous internal and external factors but above all it should not supersede the welfare of students and the positive impact on their learning.
“Whatever we do in the education sector, students should be at the heart of all decisions that we take as teachers, as political leaders or as a government. The outcome of all of all our decisions must always be student driven”, he added.
While lauding the efforts of the school and all the members of the managing committee and teachers, Sangma said it is in the best interest that the school must plan its journey and move ahead with set targets and goals which are centred on having a positive impact on the education of its students.
“You must have targets because that’s what gives us direction to work and move forward with a vision that we would like to achieve. I urge the managing committee and all members of the Church as well as the alumni and others who are associated with the school to set a goal and move forward so as to achieve much higher standards for the school in the coming years”, he added.
During the function, the Chief Minister also announced a grant of Rs 20 lakhs from the Chief Minister’s Special Development Fund for extension of the school’s building.
