Guwahati: As many as 1,124 government schools in Meghalaya are functioning with just one teacher, while 893 teaching posts remain vacant across the state, the government told the Legislative Assembly on August 25.
Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui provided the figures during the autumn session in response to a question from legislator Mizanur Kazi on the status of infrastructure in government schools.
Of the 893 vacant teaching posts, 748 are in lower primary schools, 38 in upper primary schools, 91 in secondary schools and 16 in higher secondary schools.
The Assembly was also informed of gaps in basic facilities across government schools. According to the data presented in the House, 76 schools do not have science laboratories, 18 lack computer facilities and one school does not have a library.
Rymbui said the government was undertaking several measures under Mission Education to improve infrastructure in government schools, particularly in the plain belt areas.
New school buildings have been constructed at several schools, while construction work at others is still underway.
Infrastructure work has been completed at several schools under the first two phases of the Mission Education initiative.
Schools including Charbatapara Government LP School, Milonpur Government LP School, Bholarbhita JB Government LP School, Pushkarni Para Government LP School and Magurmari Government LP School were listed as completed under Phase I.
Four schools — Ronkhala Government LP School, Chibinang Government LP School, Batabari Government LP School and Bhajamara Government LP School, were also marked completed under Phase II.
Under Phase III, Hallidayganj JB Government LP School and Peradanga Government LP School have been completed, while Golagre Government LP School remains under construction.
The figures presented in the Assembly highlight the staffing and infrastructure gaps faced by Meghalaya’s government schools, with more than 1,100 schools operating with a single teacher and hundreds of teaching posts remaining vacant.