Shillong, April 20: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma was felicitated on Monday by the All Meghalaya 4th Teachers’ Association, Garo Hills Unit, at the District Auditorium in Tura. The programme expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for introducing the Structure Pay Framework, a reform designed to streamline salary disbursement and ensure timely, transparent payments for teachers.

The initiative seeks to resolve long-standing pay and service-related issues, bringing clarity, uniformity, and financial security across the state’s education sector. Sangma recalled that he first became aware of the challenges faced by teachers after being elected as a Member of Parliament in 2016, and noted that difficult but necessary decisions were taken to address them. He highlighted the government’s efforts to resolve concerns of SSA, fourth teachers, ad hoc, Hindi grant, and science grant teachers.

Reflecting on the state’s education journey, Sangma said that in 2018 Meghalaya lacked a clear roadmap. The introduction of the new Education Policy and the establishment of the Education Commission have since provided direction on infrastructure, teacher quality, training, and technology. He urged stakeholders to focus on improving learning outcomes rather than limiting efforts to syllabus completion.

Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, PHE Minister Marcuise N. Marak, and Association President Tengsrang K. Sangma also addressed the gathering, emphasizing the positive impact of the reforms on the teaching community.