Newly renovated classrooms for two government lower primary schools were today inaugurated at Lyngiong and Mawngap in East Khasi Hills.
The event marks the successful culmination of collaboration between Smart Village Movement (SVM) and One School at a Time (OSAAT), aimed to transform rural educational learning environments in government schools.
The initiative, launched in October 2023, focused on addressing critical infrastructure challenges in rural schools, such as dilapidated buildings, overcrowded classrooms, and insufficient facilities. With a shared goal of enhancing the quality of education, the partnership has led to the creation of modern, safe, and conducive learning environments for students at both schools, benefiting a total of 478 children across both institutions.
SVM, in collaboration with OSAAT, has provided essential upgrades to the classrooms, including the construction of new classrooms, improved sanitation and incorporation of Building as Learning Aid (BaLA) through educational wall paintings featuring alphabets, numbers, science concepts, and cultural themes. The project also included the provision of new furniture to ensure students have an optimal learning space. These improvements are not only aimed at fostering academic excellence but also nurturing creativity, curiosity, and a sense of security among the children.
Chief Secretary Donald P Wahlang graced both ceremonies and formally inaugurated the renovated facilities, highlighting the importance of educational infrastructure in rural development. He encouraged the students, saying, “You now have great classrooms, so the focus must shift to improving the quality of education. The teachers and School Management Committees have a big role to play in this. They must do everything they can at their level and also engage with the government to address any challenges or gaps they face. Parents should also encourage their children to go to school, no child should stay back home.”
Ramkumar, Executive Director of MBDA and Nodal Officer for the Smart Village Movement project, Dr. Sampath Kumar, CEO of the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA), Srinivas Prasad, OSAAT Volunteer, J.A. Marwein, Sub Divisional School Education Officer, Education Department, Wallambok Mawlong, Cluster Resource Coordinator, SSA, and Samborlang Skhemlon, Block Mission Coordinator, SSA attended the function.
Representatives from both SVM and OSAAT, community members, parents of the students, and local school management committee members were also present
Ramkumar emphasised the need for innovative and demand-centric solutions for rural schools and the positive impact such projects have on student outcomes.
Kumar also acknowledged the importance of improving rural infrastructure as part of a broader vision for the state’s socio-economic development.
Prasad, OSAAT Volunteer, and representatives from both OSAAT and SVM also spoke on the occasion.
The Smart Village Movement initiative was launched in Meghalaya in 2020 in collaboration with Berkeley Haas. Since its inception, SVM has successfully implemented several projects focused on healthcare, education, agriculture, and infrastructure development, with many scaling across the state through technology and business innovation focused in emerging markets.
