Shillong, May 20: According to UNESCAP, India’s young population in the age group of 0-14 years was 24.9% in 2023. Meghalaya, on the other hand, not only has its young population percentage (relative to state population) well-above the national average but is among the highest in the country, with 49% of its population under the age of 20 years. This large population brings numerous challenges as well as opportunities, and Meghalaya has already put in motion several initiatives to leverage the power of this section of the population to derive dividends in future.
“This is really what the challenge is but also where the opportunity lies and programs like SPARK, Early Childhood Development Program, MPower, MGMP, YES Meghalaya, programs on sports, are all investments,” remarked Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma while attending the SPARK Summit 2025 at U Soso Tham Auditorium in Shillong on Tuesday.
The Chief Minister informed that to be able to take advantage of the demographic dividend there is a need to invest in the youth at a very every stage of their life. “Meghalaya is one of the few states that focusses on the life cycle approach and there are different programs for early childhood development, adolescence, youth and adulthood and the investments we make in these programs will yield exponential results in the years to come,” he said.
Referring to the age group between 9-19 years, that is the adolescence stage, he said this is the time when an individual faces numerous challenges and the age when guidance is needed the most. He said partners like Avenues that drive programs like SPARK to support, nurture, guide and counsel the adolescents become very important for them to move forward into adulthood as positive, efficient and responsible citizens.
SPARK, an acronym of School Programs in Articulation, Resilience and Kindness, is a government initiative that aims to empower students with life skills, particularly focusing on communication, resilience, empathy and confidence. It’s a part of the National Education Policy (NEP) and has been recognized as a successful implementation by the Education Ministry. The program is implemented by AVENUES, a training partner, and is supported by the Samagra Shiksha initiative under the Education Department.
The program was also marked with performances and also by testimonials by students who delivered their speeches with great confidence. Remarking on the transformative positive changes on the students, CM Sangma further said, “SPARK is shaping a generation of bold, empathetic, and articulate young leaders. Truly moving to witness students take the stage with courage and clarity, sharing what the program has meant to them.”
Talking about the growth trajectory of the state, the Chief Minister said if Meghalaya wants to be one of the best states in the country, it has to work and invest at every level. “But inspite of the challenges and difficulties, we are determined to take the state forward and I am confident that with the programs, policies and the focus with which we are moving we will achieve the goal,” expressed the Chief Minister.
Later, the Chief Minister and the other dignitaries also distributed tablets to meritorious students and certificates to schools who had participated in the SPARK program. Tuesday’s summit also marked the conclusion of the pilot phase of the project.
