Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Thursday released the NCERT text books for Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE) at the Teachers Initiation Conclave, held at Harding Theological College, Tura. The Chief Minister also distributed appointment letters to over 458 newly-appointed Government L P School Teachers. This comes after a long gap in the recruitment process and after implementation of the roster system.
Also present on the occasion were Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma and Member of Parliament from Tura Lok Sabha constituency Agatha K Sangma. The move comes after a prolonged hiatus in the recruitment process with the implementation of the roster system to ensure a fair and inclusive selection.
Addressing the gathering Chief Minister Sangma stated that the newly-appointed teachers would play a pivotal role in laying strong foundations of knowledge in the lives of the children.
“As a Government we are committed to improve education in rural areas and the appointment of qualified teachers will greatly enhance the performance of students from a young age thereby improving the overall quality of education across the state”, said the Chief Minister, while speaking at the conclave.
He said that education has been at the centre for the transformative change and the vision that the State has envisioned. “It has been an eventful journey… in the last five years, our Government has been very focused and moving with a vision to take the State forward,” he said.
“Education has been at the centre of the transformative story of our state. We have gone through 52 years as a state, and in the last 5 years, our government has been moving with a vision of wanting to take the state forward.”
He went on to say that the right kind of change starts with having the right mindset. “The right thought instils the right purpose which puts you on the right path and keeps you moving in the right direction. If we are not shaping the minds, values and personalities of the individual, we are not fulfilling the true potential as teachers. But if you carry the right purpose in your heart, you will overcome every challenge along the way,” he stressed.
Talking about the approach of the Government, the Chief Minister said, “Last five years has been very challenging for us but as a government, we are committed to make a difference for our people. We have told ourselves that we will become one of the top 10 States in the country. We are working on mission mode to ensure housing for all, road connectivity to every village, water to every household, mobile connectivity across the State. Our approach and mindset has to be different, to ensure what best we can do for our people”.
Drawing a comparison between population of New Zealand and Meghalaya, he said, “New Zealand has a population of 52 lakh, whereas Meghalaya has a population of 38 lakh, our economy is 5 billion dollars, roughly 40,000 cr, while New Zealand, has economy of around 300 billion dollars, which is 20 times more than us”.
He further said that developed countries like New Zealand has made huge investment in human capital including education, research and technology, and as a State Meghalaya has prioritised education and is making investment in education to ensure overall growth and development of the State.
“For over 45 years, the education sector in the State was not given the due attention it deserved. Our Government has started making investment in education to achieve the objective of ensuring growth and development. As a Government, we have been putting a lot of thrust on building school infrastructure and development of human capital”, he added.
He also congratulated the new recruits and said that they should take their profession seriously and give their complete dedication to be part of the transformation that the Government has envisioned for its citizens. He also spoke at length on interventions that are being made across the State to improve the overall infrastructure in Schools, LP, secondary and higher secondary and colleges.
Congratulating the newly appointed teachers, Education Minister Rakkam Sangma said that teachers play a pivotal role in shaping the young minds of the State. He said that being a teacher is not an easy job, it requires a lot of sacrifice to better the lives of young children. He said that children imbibe qualities from their teachers and it is incumbent on them to be an example before them.
“In my experience as a teacher, students and society expect the best qualities and standards in teachers,” he says. He highlighted the decreasing number of students in government schools and strongly stated that it is due to the quality of education. “It is my earnest request to our teachers to give the best possible education that you can offer as you are the ones who will help shape the future of the next generation,” he added.
Lok Sabha MP Agatha K Sangma reminded the teachers of a message from her father Late Purno Agitok Sangma on values that a teachers should imbibe while imparting teaching. Quoting her father, she said, “Planting human is a great contribution for generation to come”
The event was organised by the Directorate of School Education & Literacy, Education Department, Government of Meghalaya. The number of letters distributed today were 94 for North Garo Hills, 66 for East Garo Hills, 67 for South West Garo Hills, 151 for South Garo Hills, and 80 for West Garo Hills.
A key highlight of the event today was the release of NCERT textbooks by the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE) for Classes 1 to 10. This comes as a significant stride by the Education Department and the Government of Meghalaya in using NCERT books to ensure a comprehensive coverage of subjects and topics, and also better prepare the youth for competitive and entrance exams at the national level.
Swapnil Tembe, IAS, Director, School Education & Literacy, Government of Meghalaya, presented the audience with an insightful picture of the existing programmes and current state of Meghalaya’s education frameworks. He urged the teachers to tap into the existing ecosystem and make the most of the tools and platforms provided to help augment their teaching efficiency.
The LP School Teachers under the District Institute for Education and Training (DIET), Rongkong, Tura, performed special songs at the event. Other special performers included Aspire Meghalaya 2022 Stars – Walman Momin and Kavita Devi.
It may be mentioned that the Distribution of Appointment Letters for the Khasi, Jaintia and Ri-Bhoi Districts is expected to be held in the Capital City of Shillong on 6th February 2024.