The Meghalaya Government, through its Education Department, recently released the Performance Grading Index (PGI), an assessment that measures how well schools across the state deliver education and provide essential learning facilities. Among more than 11,000 schools in Meghalaya, Step-By-Step Lawwahskei L.P. School received just 26 out of 1,000 points, placing it at the bottom of the rankings.
Step-By-Step Lawwahskei L.P. School is located in Lawwahskei village under the Rambrai-Jyrngam constituency in West Khasi Hills district.
To understand why the school ranked last in the PGI, our news team visited the village and spoke with the school’s management and teachers.
Fondar Wahlang, Secretary of the School Managing Committee, said the school was established by the Wahlang clan in 2006 with the aim of promoting education in the area. He recalled that the biggest challenge during its establishment was securing land. However, with the support of villagers, land was gradually donated to construct the school building, while financial contributions came later.
Reacting to the government’s PGI report, Wahlang said the school management was deeply disappointed to learn that the school had been ranked last in the state.
He explained that one of the school’s biggest challenges is paying teachers’ salaries. Although the school occasionally recruits qualified teachers, many leave after one or two years for better-paying jobs because the school cannot afford to match their salary expectations.
Apart from inadequate teacher salaries, Wahlang highlighted several other shortcomings that have contributed to the school’s poor performance, including a lack of sufficient classrooms, an adequate water supply for students, proper sanitation facilities, a playground, and other basic infrastructure essential for quality education.
He appealed to the State Government and the concerned authorities to extend support to the school so it can provide quality education and stand on par with other schools in Meghalaya. He added that the school has received only one classroom, sanctioned under the Special Rural Works Programme (SRWP) 2021–2022 by former MLA Kimfa S. Marbaniang.
Larihun Wahlang, who voluntarily assists with teaching at the school, said the students are bright, intelligent, and eager to learn. She stressed that they deserve better educational facilities and quality teaching so they can realise their full potential.
