Shillong, Dec 10: Density of schools compared to population in Meghalaya is one of the highest in the North East, making the process of school rationalisation more challenging for the government.
Among the region’s four states – Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura – having similar population structure, Meghalaya has the highest number of schools.
Disclosing this while sharing his insights into Meghalaya’s educational density, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said, “Tripura, with a population of over 45 lakh, has around 4,000 schools. Manipur, with a population similar to Meghalaya, has about 5,000 schools. Nagaland has roughly 4,000 schools. Meghalaya, however, has 14,000 schools, 10,000 more than Tripura.”
Accordingly, the number of teachers is also far ahead of the other states.
“We have 55,000 teachers, while Manipur has 36,000 and Tripura 40,000, despite their larger populations,” the Chief Minister said while addressing the closing ceremony of golden jubilee celebration of Nartiang Presbyterian Higher Secondary School at Modop.
Further explaining the challenges in school rationalisation, the Chief Minister observed that there were 206 schools with full teaching capacity but no students, and about 2,000 schools had 5–7 teachers for only one to five students.
He said that rationalisation was complex because many livelihoods depended on these positions.
Earlier, congratulating the school and its students and teachers, the Chief Minister highlighted the government’s education initiatives since 2018.
He said education has been a priority sector of the government and noted that over the past few years, the education budget had increased from Rs 2,000 crore to Rs 3,500 crore annually, making it the highest in the state.
He added that this investment was beginning to show the transformation the government desired.
On holistic education, the Chief Minister emphasized, “Education is not just about books or degrees—it is about building character. It instills discipline, faith, patriotism, and respect for elders, hard work, commitment, and, a sense of purpose. True education nurtures children into individuals of strong character.”
On reforms, the Chief Minister stated that the government was finalizing a structured salary system for ad hoc and SSA teachers, which would provide job security, incremental salary increases, and post-retirement benefits, and he expected a final decision before Christmas.
Regarding student opportunities, he announced that the government was assessing the demand for science streams not just at NPHSS but across all higher secondary schools, and that it was committed to ensuring students could pursue subjects of their choice without limitation.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister announced Rs 20 lakh from Chief Minister’s Special Development Fund for extension of the school building.
He added that the government was actively working with the Government of India to support the establishment of girls’ hostels, which would open up opportunities for girls across Meghalaya.
Addressing on the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar reflected on the school’s journey, saying, “This journey has not been easy. At times the school faced difficulties—but through the hard work of the community, teachers, and managing committee, we have reached this joyous moment.”
The Golden Jubilee Souvenir was formally released during the occasion.
Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, JHADC chief Thombor Shiwat, SMC chairman H Khynriam, school principal IJR Tongper also attended the occasion.
