By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: Conrad K Sangma on May 25 presented an extensive reform blueprint for Meghalaya’s education sector to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during a meeting held in New Delhi.
In a statement released by the Chief Minister’s Office, Sangma outlined the Meghalaya government’s ongoing efforts to tackle persistent issues impacting educational standards and student performance through a series of institutional and academic reforms.
During the discussion, the Chief Minister noted that Meghalaya, with a population of nearly 30 lakh, operates close to 14,600 schools among the highest in the Northeast after Assam , resulting in scattered resource allocation, overlapping grant systems and administrative inefficiencies over time.
He informed the Union Minister that the Education Department had carried out a detailed assessment of shortcomings in learning outcomes and launched corrective measures aimed at strengthening infrastructure, governance and classroom teaching.
As part of the reform process, the state government has initiated a large-scale rationalisation of schools to ensure better utilisation of resources, improved teacher-student ratios and enhanced access to laboratories, digital tools and academic facilities.
The presentation highlighted that nearly 3,198 lower primary schools out of the state’s 14,582 institutions have already undergone rationalisation under the restructuring initiative.
Sangma also spoke about the rollout of a common pay structure, including organised salary mechanisms for SSA teachers, to promote greater parity, motivation and accountability among educators.
The Chief Minister further briefed the Centre on teacher capacity-building programmes being implemented through DIKSHA-enabled training, self-learning modules and continuous professional development initiatives.
The Meghalaya government additionally shared updates on the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), covering measures such as the three-language formula, mandatory teaching of Khasi and Garo languages, play-based learning practices, locally contextualised textbooks and “bag-less days” for foundational-stage students.
Among the new initiatives highlighted was the “CM LEAD Fellowship” programme, under which 12 fellows will be posted across districts to support planning, execution and monitoring of education reforms.
Sangma also informed the Union Minister about the establishment of the Meghalaya Teachers Training Academy (MTTA), which will function under the Samagra Shiksha programme to strengthen teacher education and professional training.
“With a well-defined roadmap and firm political commitment, Meghalaya is prepared to address its challenges and substantially improve educational outcomes in the years ahead,” Sangma said during the presentation.