Shillong, Oct 22: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday said the state government spends around Rs 4,000 crore annually on education, highlighting efforts to improve school infrastructure, teachers’ welfare and academic outcomes.
Inaugurating the renovated building of Rimrangpara Higher Secondary School in South West Garo Hills, Sangma said the government spends around Rs 20,000 crore annually on various interventions, of which Rs 4,000 crore is allocated to the education sector.
He said Meghalaya’s education system had faced several challenges, including dilapidated school buildings, inadequate infrastructure, concerns over teachers’ salaries and poor performance in the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examinations.
“More than 75% of children in the Garo Hills region failed their SSLC examination in the past,” Sangma said, adding that the NPP-led government had worked over the past eight years to improve the situation.
The renovated school building received Rs 14 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Special Development Fund (CMSDF), following requests from the school management committee and the local community, he said.
Highlighting infrastructure improvements under Mission Education, Sangma said more than 2,000 schools across Meghalaya had been upgraded, while over 80 new school buildings were inaugurated on September 23.
He said the state recorded an SSLC pass percentage of 86.84 per cent this year, while pass rates in the Higher Secondary examinations exceeded 83 per cent in the Science, Arts and Commerce streams.
Meghalaya’s score in the national Performance Grading Index for school education also rose from 448 in 2024 to 525.71 in 2026, he added.
However, Sangma acknowledged that several rural schools continued to face shortages of electricity, drinking water, internet connectivity, libraries, laboratories and teachers.
The Education Department has been asked to prepare a school-wise roadmap to address these gaps, with timelines and funding requirements, he said.
Sangma also highlighted initiatives to expand access to higher education, including the establishment of new colleges and a state university. He said the government was extending financial assistance to 700 schools under CM IMPACT Plus.
MLA Mehtab Chandee A. Sangma thanked the Chief Minister for supporting the school’s renovation and urged the government to establish higher secondary schools in rural Garo Hills to prevent students from dropping out after Class 10.
IANS