SHILLONG, July 3: Meghalaya is losing nearly 100 marks in the Centre’s Performance Grading Index (PGI) not because of poor educational outcomes but due to weak reporting and documentation by schools, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said on Friday, calling for an urgent overhaul of the State’s reporting mechanism to ensure that its progress in the education sector is accurately reflected in national rankings. Stressing that Meghalaya’s current PGI position does not present a true picture of the strides made in school education, the Chief Minister said avoidable lapses in reporting basic facilities and routine school activities have cost the State valuable marks despite substantial investments and improvements over the past eight years.
Addressing the foundation stone laying ceremony of Sohkha Government Higher Secondary School and a felicitation programme for meritorious students, Sangma said, “Sadly, the ranking reflected in the PGI is not a fair representation of Meghalaya’s education system. The issue is not always performance, but how we report it.” He said schools have failed to adequately document simple indicators such as the availability of reading spaces and awareness programmes on issues like cyber safety, resulting in unnecessary loss of marks during assessments.
“In many cases, small efforts like conducting a one-day awareness programme or correctly reporting available facilities could have earned us crucial points. We have lost nearly 100 marks due to gaps in communication and reporting,” he said, describing the issue as a “low-hanging opportunity” that could be addressed through greater attention to documentation. “These are simple steps, but they require attention. If we strengthen our reporting systems, our PGI rankings will improve significantly,” he added.
The Chief Minister said the State government has upgraded more than 2,000 schools over the last eight years, expanded educational infrastructure and witnessed SSLC pass percentages rising to over 95% in recent years. “Transformation is happening. From infrastructure to results, we are moving in the right direction. Now we must ensure that our progress is properly captured and reflected,” he said, while assuring continued government support for school infrastructure, connectivity and expansion of educational opportunities across Meghalaya.
Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui and Sports Minister Wailadmiki Shylla were present at the programme, which also witnessed the inauguration of a Children and Adolescent Library and digital infrastructure at Sohkha Mission Village.
