SHILLONG — Meghalaya Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma on Tuesday held a consultative meeting with the United Democratic Party, led by its president Metbah Lyngdoh and Working President and Cabinet Minister Paul Lyngdoh, to discuss the Meghalaya Education Grant. Talking to media persons, Sangma said the department will be sending the draft MEG to all the 60 legislators as well as the stakeholders, which includes heads of institutions and officers, to deliberate upon this new policy.
“Yes, this afternoon in the presence of Minister of Tourism Paul Lyngdoh, and in presence of former speaker and chairman of Planning Board Metbah Lyngdoh and other MLAs of UDP, in presence of all the officials of the department, we have did the consultation on the proposed Meghalaya Education Grant (MEG), which is the proposal of the department to streamline the education scenario and the different issues of the education department.”
“So just to inform it all of you and the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister, we are on the job to streamline the education sector, therefore it is clear that we have to bring down the different categories of the schools, the teacher and also to streamline the funding system.”
“So therefore, just to streamline and to make a different way of funding to the different school, so we are just doing this consultation on that MEG.”
“Today we have listened to the suggestions and views and they are all appreciate the idea, the move and this will be the historic move if all goes well but our offices they had to held the consultation with all the head of institutions management in Shillong.”
“We have officially notified the consultation committee headed by the Secretary of Education Swapnil Tembe and all the officers as remember, they will be meeting all the association, the stakeholders, the head of institutions, the governing bodies and all the different head of institution across the state and across all level of the schools in the institutions.”
“Then only when all everything are well informed, government will take a call.”
“It is not all about political parties, it is all about the stakeholders, we want to inform all the MLAs, we want to discuss and we want to listen from them with the officers, the academicians, all stakeholders in fact, then we will move forward, so it is not about political party, it is all about the individuals, the leaders because at the end of the day, they will be in countering many questions in the field, many schools they are confused, many management they are confused, they don’t know what is the detail, the plan of the government.”
“So it is clear that we want to minimise to three categories, Government, Grant in Aid Institutions and Purely Private, there will be three category of schools and teachers in the state because it is hugely affecting the PGA ranking of the state.”
“I will just give you one example, suppose we have four number of different management in one campus, even personally in my Villa, there is one is SSA school, one UP government, Secondary Deficit and the Higher Secondary which is purely Private.”
“They will be having the same one toilet, one Library, one computer lab, one basketball, one playground, one PHE tank but they have a different four UDISE marks.”
“In the eyes of the of the Ministry there are four different schools but practical they are one school but having a different four management, therefore when it comes to the PGI ranking, if it is four school, only 25 percent of the toilet is there, library, computer lab but if it is one school, it would have been 100% but practically it is a one school at one campus, therefore because all this discrepancies and the figure, we are getting the PGI ranking low, this is one factor.”
“Therefore if these four schools merge together to one school, we will be having 100% of a toilet, electricity, library, playground and computer lab.”
“It is not about political party, we will be circulating these documents to all the MLAs, senior officers, academicians and when we are getting the views and suggestions then we will move ahead.”
“It is not call by us but this has been requested by them from their side to discuss and appraise on this so we have to explain to them but whoever, if there is anybody who wants to know more about this, we are welcome, we will be meeting them.”
“If there is any confusion with any MLAs, individuals, we will be meeting them, we will give them the presentation, after all this presentation we will be sharing to all of them.”
“It is just a draft not a finalise one, after getting all the views and suggestion from all stakeholders, we will be finalizing the draft then it will be official, then we will take a call, we will place in the cabinet, maybe it will go to the Assembly.”
“In fact the last 30 of May was the last date to submit the views and all but since now we have formed the official consultation committee, they will carry it out officially now and we have not set any deadline now but we want to complete as soon as possible.”
“In the last 50 years this was the condition, see this was the situation in the state of education sector, therefore under the leadership of Chief Minister, we want to start somewhere, the reform and the correction we need to make.”
“So we should start somewhere so that it will benefit in the long run.”
“If you talk behalf of teacher, there will be lots of questions to be raise but if you talk on behalf of the students and the management, this is one of the best solutions for them, for the Administrative.”
“Right now as a minister, as a director as a commissioner secretary, we have to approve, receive the file of all the 12-13 categories that means we will be having 15 number of files for release of the salary, Government, deficit, deficit pattern, non-government, adhoc, fourth teacher, science grant, Hindi grant, volunteer, SSA.”
“But if this work out, we will only receive one file maybe 3 files to approve, so this kind of administrative will be completely changed.”
“No, the question of coming down of revenue and doesn’t arise here, everything will be the same, but only the system will change, we are working in a different way, they will receive the same funding, but the style and the system will be quite a different.”
“This exercise will not affect the existing teacher be it Adhoc, SSA, government, deficit or deficit pattern, existing teachers will continue till their retirement.”
