KSU wants BSF removed from Amlarem

The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has sought the intervention of the Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong for immediate removal of the BSF personnel from Amlarem village, which is far away from the international border with Bangladesh.

“We have requested the Deputy Chief Minister to ensure immediate removal of the BSF personnel, who are illegally present at Amlarem market,” KSU West Jaintia Hills District Unit president Laitphar Syngkrem told reporters after a meeting here today.

He alleged that the BSF has been harassing local people and seizing their goods and said, “We strongly condemned the action of the BSF by conducting illegal checking on local residents of Amlarem and adjoining areas.”

Stating BSF are supposed to be guarding the international border, Syngkrem however reminded that Amlarem is a village which is quite far away from the international border and that it is illegal for the BSF to conduct checking on local people.

The present of the BSF personnel at Amlarem has been for the past six months.

“Earlier, we had submitted a complaint before the deputy commissioner and SDO but no action has been taken in this regard. This has compelled us to take up the issue with the deputy chief minister for immediate action,” Syngkrem said.

When asked, the KSU WJHDU president said, “The deputy chief minister has directed the deputy commissioner to take necessary action on the matter.”

He however warned if the government fails to address the grievance of the people, the Union will have no other option but to take stern decision on the matter.

Further, Syngkrem alleged that local peole who are going for marketing in Dawki were made to obtain permission from the commandant of the BSF otherwise their goods will be seized and taken to the BSF camp.

“We also want to question the BSF for allowing illegal Bangladeshi to carry out illegal trade and businesses at Dawki market,” he said.

Meanwhile, the KSU WJHDU has also demanded the government to immediately repair the deplorable Jowai Bypass. Due to this, small vehicles can no longer the road and were force to enter Jowai town thereby causing huge traffic congestion.

Syngkrem informed that the deputy chief minister, who is also looking after PWD (Road), has assured to look into the matter at the earliest.

Shillong ropeway project to start in Nov

Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh today said construction of the Shillong ropeway project will start by November, this year.

Lyngdoh told reporters that he had recently held a meeting to discuss this important project, the Shillong ropeway project.

He said the project starts from the terminal point at Madan Laban towards Lumparing and to the viewpoint of Shillong Peak and “we will have 12 cables initially and the engineering will be done as per European standards.”

“We will be floating tenders in the month of May and likely the work will start by November of this year,” he added.

The minister also informed that he had visited the Orchid Resort, Mawkasiang and a few areas that need further enhancement and that along with officials of the tourism department, we will be initiating a few major interventions in the project.

He further informed that the Department of Tourism along with Asian Development Bank will be initiating new projects and to begin with Shillong and Sohra circuits will each get funding of Rs 70 crore and these projects have been initiated.

Govt examining proposal to adopt CBSE syllabus

Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma has informed that the government is examining the proposal to adopt the Central Board of School Education (CBSE) syllabus in the state.

“We are now examining the proposal to adopt the CBSE curriculum in order to improve the confidence and standards of our students in the state,” Sangma told reporters today.

“It may not be whole but certain sections and step by step we are exploring on how to bring the best education environment for the students,” he added.

The minister further asserted that the whole idea is to ensure the confidence and standard of the students of the state will be at par with the rest of the country.

Teachers unhappy with non-release of dues

The All Meghalaya Fourth Teachers Association Garo Hills Unit (AM4thTA GHU) has expressed unhappiness due to the non-release of their three–month salary.

The association said that the 4th teachers are yet to receive their salary for January to March 2023 and are facing lots of problems with their daily wages even going to school.

The association in its memorandum to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and Education Minister Rakkam Sangma and also to the DSEL officers too on March 17 had demanded regularization of 1521 fourth teachers services, equal salary at par with Adhoc Upper Primary School teachers and to ensure regular disbursement of salary to teachers respective accounts and 5 per cent annual increment for Meghalaya 4th Teachers.

“If the MDA 2.0 government neglects the teachers’ salary then how will the teachers go to school with an empty stomach and empty pockets as they are without salary for three months? Therefore, the association requested the chief minister and education minister to look into the matter and ensure speedy release of our 3-month salary,” the president of the association Tengrang K Sangma said.

Meghalaya Education Min Rakkam A Sangma emphasizes on collective responsibility to reform education system

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 11: Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma on Friday said it is for everyone to shoulder the responsibility to bring the necessary reformation in the education system of the state.

He also assured the timely disbursement of teachers’ salaries.

“I will take every MLA, every academician and every stakeholder including NGOs on board while taking the education sector forward…Our NGOs are not only to go to the street, they will also be taken on board. I wish to meet all teachers for their opinions,” Rakkam told reporters.

After meeting with the officials of the department, the teacher-turned-education minister said he had already discussed with the chief minister on the need to resolve the salary issues of the teachers.

“I hope we will be able to solve the issue. It is my commitment and I will do my best that this issue will not continue again,” he assured.

Stating that providing quality education is on his priority list, Rakkam said, “We need infrastructure be it syllabus, trained teachers, taking care of the teaching community – it includes all. In this tenure, we will try our best to make improvements in all sectors. We will try our best as education needs major reformation.”

On the presence of too many categories of schools in the state, the education minister said, “We have a unique system which is not present in other states. In the last 50 years, we have travelled all along. There are many categories of schools but right now I am not able to tell the details but we are working out on what needs to be done.”

He said that the department will also examine the other issues including schools having a single-digit enrolment of students to ensure both teachers and students are not affected.