In a recent statement, Meghalaya’s Education Minister, Rakkam A Sangma, expressed serious concern over the significantly low enrollment of students in schools across the state.

Addressing the issue, Mr Sangma emphasized the need to verify and analyze the data released by the Ministry of Education, highlighting that 168 primary schools have less than 10 students enrolled along with the low enrollment of students in 101 upper primary schools.

In the context of measures to tackle this educational crisis, the minister affirmed that the closure of schools is not the primary solution, but in some cases, if it proves feasible and beneficial, it might be considered.

He also stressed the importance of on-site verification and assured an official delegation would visit these under-enrolled schools to gather crucial insights and propose an informed course of action.

Moreover, Sangma emphasized the importance of identifying the root causes to implement targeted solutions effectively.

Responding to queries about merging schools due to low enrollment, Sangma highlighted the impracticality of merging schools when some are perched atop hills, making daily commuting a substantial challenge for students residing several kilometres away.

 

[ Article source: information derived from ‘India Today NE’ ]