Meghalaya Govt to look into setting up of a full-fledged cancer hospital

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 23: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the state government will definitely explore the possibility of setting up a full-fledged cancer hospital.

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“Definitely if the need arises and based on the financial and other aspects involved, we will explore the idea of even having a full-fledged hospital if necessary,” Sangma told reporters after presenting the state budget. He however informed that the government is intending to expand and augment the cancer wing and its overall capacity and services.

Stating that it is not just about the treatment, the chief minister said, “It has a lot to do with screening and early detection and prevention. Therefore, Meghalaya in fact is going for a holistic approach to all of this. We are looking at doing a massive amount of screenings so that early detection can be done and lives can be saved.”

Earlier in his budget speech, Sangma said the 90-bedded cancer wing in the Shillong civil hospital was made functional this financial year. The radio oncology system will also be set up by the end of 2023 to further augment our capacity in the fight against cancer.

He further announced that the government will also set up a cancer wing in Tura civil hospital.

The Chief Minister also informed that the government is comprehensively upgrading the physical infrastructure of all the health facilities starting from the state headquarters till the sub-centres.

The Mother and Child Hospital at Jowai and a 100-bedded hospital in Mawkyrwat have been established, he said while adding that the construction of 19 new health facilities is at different stages of completion.

He further added that the 100-bedded integrated health complex at Baljek, West Garo Hills will be completed by 2024 while the 50-bedded ‘Tura Maternity and Child hospital’ will be expanded to 100 beds during 2023-24.

He said that the construction of 78 new sub-centres will be completed by the end of 2023 at a cost of about Rs 43 crore. Additionally, the government will also set up 31 new urban health centres during the next financial year.

Meanwhile, the government has also decided to upgrade 20 out of the existing 31 community health centres as first referral units during 2023-24.

“To further strengthen these centres, we are training groups of doctors and medical professionals,” Sangma added.

Meghalaya’s Education Min seeks all MLAs’ support in repairing schools

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 15: Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma has appealed to all legislators to utilize their MLA funds for repairing dilapidated schools in their respective constituencies.

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Sangma told reporters that there will be a massive survey on schools to have all information including their condition. The survey will provide information if there may be schools under certain areas or sub-divisions or constituencies which require small intervention or small repairing work.

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The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance-I government had constructed more than 200 new lower primary schools across the state. Tenders have also been allotted for repairing certain numbers of schools.

The education minister said that he would also appeal to all MLAs of the state to shoulder this responsibility.

“I will also appeal to all the MLAs of the state to shoulder this responsibility. At least they can use their MLA fund for repairing or renovation of the schools,” he said adding “I think in that line. To be frank, every individual should shoulder this responsibility as the education department needs a massive revamping and transformation.”

The education minister informed that he has directed the department to get all data of every school in the state including those with very low enrolment. “We will examine and accordingly take steps,” he said.

On the process of teachers’ recruitment, Sangma said there were some technical issues because of the roster system based on the High Court order.

There are quite a number of lower primary schools in the state which are without teachers for six months to 2 years.

“To be frank, in my district South Garo Hills 26 schools are without teachers,” he said.

The education minister said that as a stop-gap arrangement, the government is planning to appoint teachers under the 59-day system till regular appointment is done so that such schools are not affected.

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.

Meghalaya Education Minister Rakkam Sangma for fast tracking teacher recruitment

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 10: Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma today asserted the need to improve the educational sector through fast-tracking government elementary teachers recruitment, contextualise State Curriculum Framework(SCF) in the context of the National Curriculum Framework(NCF) and in line with the New Education Policy 2020, as well as capitalizing on the current initiatives of the State Government on infrastructure upgrade, improvement of quality education through the child-tracking system under Vidya Samiksha Kendra and streamlining teacher’s salary.

In his first interaction with the senior education department’s officials, Rakkam A Sangma also informed that the letter of request for exemption of CUET in respect of the State of Meghalaya from conducting the CUET for the State’s under graduates Institutions for the current academic session has been dispatched through the Chief Minister’s Office.

He also stated that the request letter for extension of the last date of registration for CUET to 31st March 2023 for the State of Meghalaya has been forwarded to the Director General, NTA, New Delhi, citing reasons of the recent Legislative Assembly Election which resulted in the delay of State Board examination wherein, several rural-based students are facing problems of applying/registration in the CUET portal due to remote location, internet connectivity and inaccessible terrain challenges.

The minister also made a brief visit to the Directorate of Educational Research & Training and exhorted all the State Education Team to work tirelessly for furthering the quality of education in the State.