Shillong: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma inaugurated the Meghalaya Teacher Training Academy and a new boarding facility at Pine Mount School, saying sustained investments in teacher training and educational infrastructure are essential to improving learning outcomes in the state.
Inaugurating the MTTA in the presence of Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, Sangma said the academy marked the beginning of a long-term effort to build a robust teacher development ecosystem rather than merely adding another government institution.
"This is not merely about infrastructure; it is about creating a system that will strengthen the foundation of education in Meghalaya. This academy will play a crucial role in addressing long-standing gaps, especially in teacher training," he said.
The academy has been established as an autonomous statutory body to provide continuous professional development for teachers through a decentralised 'hub-and-spoke' model linking it with District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) and Colleges of Teacher Education (CTEs).
The chief minister said the government had moved away from fragmented training programmes to a structured capacity-building framework after national assessments highlighted gaps in learning outcomes and teacher development.
Describing education reform as a gradual process, Sangma said, "Education is like a tangled thread; if you pull one knot too hard, others tighten. We must patiently untangle each knot, step by step."
He also highlighted the government's decision to rationalise and restructure the salaries of more than 23,000 SSA teachers, involving an annual financial commitment of nearly Rs 800 crore.
Later, Sangma inaugurated the newly constructed boarding building at Pine Mount School, fulfilling an assurance he had given to students during a visit to the institution in 2022, when they had highlighted leaking roofs, damaged floors and unsafe living conditions in the hostel.
"It gives me great satisfaction to be back at Pine Mount School today to inaugurate this new boarding building. Sometimes, a simple interaction can lead to meaningful change," he said.
The chief minister also launched the "She Thrives" initiative, featuring sanitary pad vending machines to promote menstrual hygiene and dignity among girl students, saying the programme would be expanded to schools across the state.
Addressing students, Sangma said the future of employment lay increasingly in entrepreneurship and private enterprise, noting that government jobs alone could not absorb the growing number of young job seekers.
"Our focus is to create an ecosystem where young people can identify challenges, build solutions, and turn them into sustainable businesses," he said.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
