Meghalaya Govt to Upgrade 50 Schools with Grants for Higher Secondary Sections: CM Conrad Sangma

In a significant boost to education infrastructure, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Saturday announced that the state government is identifying 50 schools across the state to receive one-time building grants aimed at introducing higher secondary sections. The announcement was made during the inauguration of four newly constructed classrooms at Bidanchi Higher Secondary School in Tura, funded under the Chief Minister's Special Development Fund (CMSDF).

Under the new scheme, both government and private schools fulfilling specific need-based criteria—such as student enrolment and academic performance—will be eligible for grants of up to Rs 50 lakh. “Schools in selected areas that meet the government's criteria will qualify for the scheme to support the construction of additional classrooms,” Sangma said.

To further support Bidanchi Higher Secondary School, Sangma also committed an additional Rs 10 lakh to help introduce higher secondary classes from the current academic session.

Praising the efforts of the Education Department, the Chief Minister pointed to initiatives like the CM-IMPACT guide books, which are helping Class X students prepare for their board exams. He noted a dramatic improvement in the SSLC (Class X) pass percentage this year, particularly in rural areas. “Close to 60,000 students appear for the SSLC exam every year, and the pass percentage was roughly 25 percent. This year, most of our students have passed the exam. I am personally very happy to see our children succeed and move forward in higher studies,” Sangma said, brushing off criticisms over the results.

The announcement marks a strategic effort by the Meghalaya government to strengthen rural education and equip students for academic advancement.

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