Shillong: Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma has committed to expediting the recruitment of over 1,200 teachers for Lower Primary (LP) and Upper Primary (UP) schools in Meghalaya, aiming for completion before the Christmas season.
Following discussions with the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), Sangma disclosed that interviews for candidates who cleared the Meghalaya Teachers’ Eligibility Test (MTET) are scheduled to commence on November 15, 2023. This initiative aims to address more than 1,200 vacancies in government lower primary schools, along with 300-400 openings in upper primary schools across the state.
Sangma assured, “For lower primary schools, interviews have been set for November 15, 2023, and we will strive to finalize the process before Christmas. By then, qualified candidates will have received their appointments.”
Earlier, HYC’s West Khasi Hills District president, Lumlang Kharsyiemlieh, emphasized the severe impact of teacher shortages on education in the district. He urged the minister to promptly hire qualified teachers, ensuring compliance with established norms.
Kharsyiemlieh revealed that approximately 90 government LP schools in the district serve student populations ranging from 50 to over 100. Regrettably, each school has only 1 or 2 appointed teachers, responsible for instructing students from nursery to class V.
Additionally, Kharsyiemlieh implored the minister to address the deteriorating condition of existing government school buildings, warning that failure to do so would hinder students in the upcoming session.
He also criticized the government’s failure to provide necessary furniture and supplies to the majority of schools, highlighting the discomfort students face due to inadequate seating.
In a memorandum to the minister, HYC called for the appointment of permanent teachers for all subjects in the higher secondary section of the Sib Sing Memorial Government School, established in 1995 in Nongstoin. The organization underscored the absence of teachers for critical subjects, impacting students’ education.
HYC also drew attention to the newly inaugurated school building, lacking electricity connections and proper furnishings despite its formal opening earlier this year.
Furthermore, the HYC urged the government to construct a new office building for the SDSEO, aiming to enhance services for the entire district.
