Teacher training, entrepreneurship and girls' dignity key to education reforms: Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on July 2 inaugurated the Meghalaya Teacher Training Academy (MTTA), launched the state-wide 'She Thrives' initiative for girls' health and hygiene, and opened a new boarding facility at Pine Mount School, saying education reforms must go beyond infrastructure to improve learning outcomes and prepare students for the future.

Inaugurating the MTTA in the presence of Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, Sangma said the academy marked the beginning of a long-term effort to strengthen teacher development across the state rather than simply creating another government institution.

"This is not merely about infrastructure; it is about creating a system that will strengthen the foundation of education in Meghalaya. This academy will play a crucial role in addressing long-standing gaps, especially in teacher training," he said.

Established as an autonomous statutory body, the academy will provide continuous professional development for teachers through a decentralised hub-and-spoke model linked to District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) and Colleges of Teacher Education (CTEs).

Sangma said the government had shifted from fragmented training programmes to a structured capacity-building framework after national assessments pointed to gaps in learning outcomes and teacher development.

Describing education reform as a gradual process, he said, "Education is like a tangled thread; if you pull one knot too hard, others tighten. We must patiently untangle each knot, step by step."

He also highlighted the government's decision to rationalise and restructure the salaries of more than 23,000 SSA teachers, involving an annual financial commitment of nearly Rs 800 crore.

Later, while inaugurating the new boarding facility at Pine Mount School during the school's 125th anniversary celebrations, Sangma said the project stemmed from a meeting with students in 2022, when they had spoken about the poor condition of the hostel.

"It gives me great satisfaction to be back at Pine Mount School today to inaugurate this new boarding building. Sometimes, a simple interaction can lead to meaningful change," he said, adding that he credited the students' courage in raising the issue for the construction of the facility.

The chief minister also launched the 'She Thrives' initiative, a school-based programme aimed at improving girls' dignity, health and hygiene through sanitary pad vending machines, disposal facilities, girl-friendly toilets, safe drinking water and awareness programmes on hygiene, nutrition and adolescent health. He said the initiative would be expanded across schools in Meghalaya.

Calling the programme more than an infrastructure project, Sangma said it was intended to build confidence and resilience among girls while creating an environment where they could learn with dignity. He urged students to continue believing in themselves and called on society to uphold the dignity of women.

Addressing students, Sangma said employment opportunities were increasingly shifting towards entrepreneurship and private enterprise, noting that government jobs alone could not absorb the growing number of young people entering the workforce.

"Our focus is to create an ecosystem where young people can identify challenges, build solutions, and turn them into sustainable businesses," he said.

He also encouraged students to remain optimistic and persistent, telling them to "keep smiling, keep working, and keep praying", before interacting with them in an open question-and-answer session.

Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said the state had made steady progress in transforming the education sector since 2018, adding, "I'm not wrong to say that things are moving in the right direction." He said improvements in educational infrastructure would help equip students for the future and contribute to Meghalaya's overall development.