State launches CM IMPACT to tackle low pass percentage in schools
Tura, Oct 3: Meghalaya has launched a novel education scheme, called CM IMPACT, to address the problem of low pass percentage, currently stagnant at around 53%, despite the state having more than 55,000 teachers to address this burning issue.
With Garo Hills crippled by one of the lowest pass percentages in the state Secondary School Leaving Certificate exam level, CM IMPACT was launched from Tura by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma at a special programme on Thursday.
The project aims to provide, through the education department, guidebooks for students and teachers that would also be made available in the form of an app that also releases regular updates.
The government has announced that Intranet connectivity will also be made available at the block level for better accessibility.
Distributing the guidebooks to teachers during the rollout of the CM Impact, the chief minister said that it is important for different stakeholders to meet often to discuss and plan timely interventions to address the problem.
Acknowledging that there is a challenge ahead to tackle the complex problem in education, he said, “We have to systematically untangle the problem and move forward with a goal. We have a long-drawn plan to improve our quality of education. The objective being to improve the quality as well as the pass percentage.”
He urged the teacher to break down the issues to improve the pass percentage and address them accordingly. He also asked the teachers to categorise the students, identify their weaknesses, and work on improving their marks.
He also advised the teachers to prepare students to crack the examination code.
“Every exam has a particular format and a code. As a teacher, we should prepare the students to identify the pattern and prepare accordingly”, he added.
He further said that the government has decided to conduct supplementary examinations within 2 months of declaration of secondary results, which will give students an opportunity to clear their examination without losing a year.
The pass percentage of the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) Examination in Meghalaya has been alarmingly low, remaining around 53% for several years.
Significant disparities exist among districts, with some recording pass rates as low as 25 per cent, particularly in Garo Hills.
36 schools have reported a zero percent pass percentage for the last three consecutive years, and 124 schools recorded zero per cent in 2024.
‘Proxy teachers a problem in education’
Speaking at the CM IMPACT launch, Education Minister Rakkam Sangma highlighted the problem of ‘proxy teachers’ which negatively impacts the education of children.
With many teachers in rural areas indulging in such practices, the education minister said that the government is aware of the situation and is clamping down on this illegal method. Rakkam Sangma called on the teaching community to be committed to serving society.
Urging teachers to take advantage of emerging technologies and tools to make teaching engaging and informative, he said they need to ignite the minds of the students so that they can grow and become informed and enlightened citizens.
“We have 55,000 plus teachers in the state, but our standard is not up to the mark. As a government, we are striving to improve upon the quality of teaching”, he added.
Talking of poor education infrastructure and other challenges, he urged the teachers not to compromise on their commitment and provide the best education to the students.
The Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE) will conduct supplementary examinations in the same academic year to give opportunities to students to reappear on failed subjects or improve their marks.
