Eklavya Model Residential School opens at Samanda
Each EMRS is designed to accommodate about 480 students and is equipped with modern facilities, including science and computer laboratories and libraries.
Shillong, Feb 13: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has said nearly 80 per cent of Lower Primary (LP) and Upper Primary (UP) schools in the state have been renovated or provided with new buildings.
He highlighted reforms introduced in the education sector since 2018 while inaugurating the Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) at Samanda, Rikwarenggre in East Garo Hills district.
The Chief Minister termed the inauguration, which marked commencement of the institution’s academic session, an important addition to the state’s education infrastructure.
Recalling the vision of late PA Sangma and his deep faith in education, he said ongoing efforts to reform and transform the state’s education system made the inauguration especially meaningful.
He noted that the MBoSE syllabus has been upgraded and the examination system streamlined, while the introduction of CM Impact Books for Class X students contributed to a 96 per cent pass percentage in last year’s SSLC examinations.
He added that the government would extend renovation efforts to Ad Hoc, SSA and deficit schools, and that the pay structure of SSA teachers has been finalized, bringing positive changes to the sector.
Stressing the need for a supportive ecosystem, he said, “We need to create a conducive and secure educational environment not only for students but for teachers as well.”
The Chief Minister informed that there are 38 EMRS schools across the state and expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Prime Minister for their continued support.
Responding to requests from the school authorities, he announced that 20 computers would be funded for the institution under the Chief Minister’s Special Development Fund and assured that issues relating to telecom connectivity would be taken up with the concerned authorities.
He also requested the PHE Minister Marcuise N Marak, who was also present, to follow up on improving water supply to the school.
Marak, meanwhile, expressed gratitude to A’king Nokma for donating land for the school and said the institution would benefit students from Samanda and adjoining areas.
He noted that faculty from different parts of the country would expose students to diverse cultural experiences and promote national integration.
He emphasized the importance of preserving local languages, including Garo, Khasi and Jaintia, while encouraging students to learn Hindi, observing that teachers from different states would help students gain fluency and strengthen their communication skills.
In his address, EMRS Samanda principal Dr M Nandagopal described the EMRSs as an initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, launched in 1997–98 to provide quality residential education to Scheduled Tribe students in remote areas.
He said each EMRS is designed to accommodate about 480 students and is equipped with modern facilities, including science and computer laboratories and libraries.
He informed that the Samanda EMRS is currently functioning up to Class VIII with 130 students, with 50 additional admissions scheduled this month.
Enrolment is expected to rise to 220 in the next academic session and will expand annually until full capacity is reached.
The school follows the CBSE curriculum to ensure students from remote areas remain academically competitive.
He added that East Garo Hills is set to have three EMRSs, two of which are already operational, in line with the government’s objective of establishing such schools in tribal-dominated blocks.
He stated that EMRS institutions prepare students for higher education, competitive examinations and professional careers, serving as an important instrument of social empowerment.
East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner RP Marak and Joint DSEL Samar Dey also addressed the programme.
