Guwahati: Meghalaya’s dismal performance, securing the lowest rank in the latest Performing Grade Index (PGI) report 2023-24 for district-level school education, has drawn sharp criticism from the BJP Meghalaya unit.
The party has urged the MDA Government to implement immediate and fundamental course corrections, starting from the foundational levels of the education system.
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Following the performance, BJP Meghalaya spokesperson Mariahom Kharkrang stated the urgent need for a comprehensive reorganization of the education sector, beginning at the lower primary level, to improve the state’s future PGI rankings.
He said that the appointment of qualified teachers, the provision of decent infrastructure, and the need to make learning enjoyable will give students a strong foundation as they climb higher.
Kharkrang further called for regular and surprise inspections of schools to maintain standards and urged the government to eliminate “proxy teachers” – individuals who do not genuinely fulfill their teaching duties – and ensure all schools meet decent infrastructural standards.
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He underscored the importance of investing in education, citing it as a cornerstone for developed nations, and implored the state government to follow suit.
Meanwhile, Meghalaya Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma attempted to explain the state’s poor performance by attributing it to “technicalities and structural challenges.” He clarified that the data used for the ranking was based on outdated figures and does not accurately reflect the ongoing improvements within the education system.
However, the opposition All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) vehemently disagreed, accusing the government of “shortcomings in delivery and intent.”
The TMC asserted that Meghalaya’s “pathetic PGI ranking” is undeniable proof of the “total failure” of the Conrad Sangma-led MDA Government.
The TMC dismissed the recent increase in matriculation pass percentages as a result of “mass promotions, intentional dilution of academic standards, and distribution of government-sponsored guidebooks,” rather than genuine educational improvement.
The party argued that “artificial numbers cannot cover structural collapse,” and that the PGI report “tells the real story of understaffed schools, demoralised teachers, broken infrastructure, and poor governance.”
Furthermore, TMC has called on the government to honestly acknowledge the PGI findings and has demanded a white paper detailing teacher recruitment, infrastructure development, fund utilization, and preparedness for the National Education Policy (NEP).
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