Meghalaya education minister urges MLAs, MPs to prioritise school upgrades

Meghalaya's Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma has called on all elected representatives in the state to take direct responsibility for improving school infrastructure, stating that government-led initiatives alone are not enough to bring meaningful change.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Sangma highlighted the urgent need for better educational facilities and urged the state's 60 MLAs and two MPs to actively participate in upgrading schools using the funds already at their disposal.

“If each MLA takes care of 50 schools per year, we can make a real change in infrastructure,” Sangma said, pressing for a more hands-on approach from legislators.

Leading by example, Sangma revealed that he had personally overseen the renovation of 45 schools in his Rongara-Siju constituency in South Garo Hills district. Each upgrade was funded with ₹2 lakh drawn from the MLA Local Area Development Scheme.

“Let’s not play the blame game. Let us preach what we practice. Instead of pointing fingers, let’s come together and build,” he added, appealing for collaboration beyond party lines.

Under the MLA scheme, each legislator in Meghalaya receives ₹2.5 crore annually for infrastructure and development within their constituency. According to officials, these funds are flexible and can be used for a wide range of local projects — from school repairs and drinking water supply to rural roads and health facilities.

Despite this allocation, many government schools in the state continue to operate under subpar conditions, lacking basic amenities such as functioning toilets, proper classrooms, and adequate furniture.