CM Conrad K Sangma meets HRD minister, seeks 'status quo' on education policy

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya government has registered reservations about the draft national education policy of the Centre and has underscored that status quo be maintained regarding the language policy.
Chief minister Conrad K Sangma and education minister Lahkmen Rymbui called on Union minister for human resource development Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank in Delhi on Wednesday to seek the Centre's intervention on various issues pertaining to the state.
On the draft education policy, Rymbui apprised the Union minister that restructuring the entire education facility in the state would be a difficult exercise and would put a lot of financial burden as 50% of the schools in Meghalaya are run by minority organizations.
"Rymbui maintained that minority institutions should be allowed to manage the school managing committees through their sponsoring bodies so as not to dilute their sacrifice and initiatives taken, especially in the elementary section," an official, privy to the meeting, said.
Expressing concern over the financial burden of introducing classical and foreign languages in schools, Rymbui pointed out that unless a special scheme is rolled out for the recruitment of language teachers, offering such languages at schools, colleges and universities would be a difficult exercise and iterated that status quo be maintained regarding language policy.
Rymbui also raised the issue of D.El.Ed programme conducted by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), wherein trainees from 2013-15, 14-16 and 16-18 were yet to get their mark sheets and original certificates, even after completion of their courses. "Pokhriyal assured the chief minister and education minister that the matter would be taken up," the official added.
On Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rymbui pointed out that the HRD ministry had committed to release central share of Rs 253.49 crore against Rs 523.36 crore sanctioned by PAB (project approval board) 2018-19, however, the actual release was Rs 237.846 crore, with a shortfall of Rs 15.644 crore.
On the implementation of nine model schools in Meghalaya, Rymbui said funds for centrally-sponsored schools amounting to Rs 15,03,00,00 (50% of the central share) were released in 2011, however, the project was discontinued in 2015 and the financial burden was passed on to the state.
Rymbui urged the Centre to reconsider the Model School Scheme for Meghalaya and ensure the completion of the schools, which were initiated in the state. Rymbui also flagged off the problems faced by local aspiring students due to restricted reservation policies in institutes like the North Eastern Regional Institute of Education (NERIE), English and Foreign Language University (EFLU), IIM Shillong, North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS).
He pointed out that NERIE has only three seats reserved for Meghalaya out of 50 in the B.Ed course and urged the Centre to increase seat reservation for the state in EFLU Shillong.