Meghalaya: Schools In Garo Hills In Shambles; Villagers Offer Help As Education Dept Yet To ‘Respond’

Dosaram village in North Garo Hills’ Adokgre block, situated around 5 kilometres from Adokgre village, is a visual treat for the exhausted souls. However, what is heartbreaking is the plight of over 60 students studying at the Dosaram SSA LP School, located atop a hill overlooking the plains of Kharkutta and Adokgre.

Speaking to Northeast Live, the villagers informed that a strong storm blew away the school’s roof in 2021, and since then, no repairs have been made. As a result, over 60 students are now in a perilous state regarding their education, as they have no proper place to study.

Meanwhile, in a heartwarming gesture, the villagers have arranged two makeshift rooms—a thatched house and the other a community hall—to ensure the children’s education. However, the condition of both these places is less than ideal for teachers and students.

As a result, whenever it rains, the authorities are forced to declare a school holiday as it becomes impossible for the teachers and students, who are cramped into these spaces, to protect themselves from nature’s fury. They cannot even save their books in case of heavy rains. The result: education takes a back seat.

“The condition of the makeshift school is pitiful, and despite the matter being reported to the authorities, no attempt has been made to repair the school. Is this how you truly prioritise education?” said Johnee G. Momin, a local.

“It is ironic that a new toilet was constructed on the school premises even after the storm had rendered the roof unusable. Has the state prioritised contract work over education? I am sure the irony of the situation is not lost on the educators and students who now face an uncertain future because the state was too lazy to take action. Can we really question the students for not achieving stellar results in their later education? This is ridiculous, to say the least,” said social activist Maxbirth G. Momin.

Moving to South Garo Hills’ Chokpot region, the situation is as bad, if not worse.

Jish A. Sangma, a local activist, provided photos and videos of three schools whose roofs were blown away in strong winds. In addition, these schools have cracked walls and missing windows and doors, and children and teachers are forced to huddle towards the edges of the rooms (where the roof is still intact) while rain pours into the areas where they are seated.

The three schools whose photos and videos were provided by Jish Sangma are—Eman Durabanda Government UP School, Bramgre SSA UP School, and Dapasakgre Non-Government LP School.

“Can there be a sadder scene for school-going children and teachers? Is education really a priority for this government or any previous administration? When will the authorities take stock of the crumbling education infrastructure in Garo Hills, and when will education truly become a priority in our region?” asked Jish.

He noted that there are more such deplorable schools in the area and promised to provide additional photos and videos to support his claims.

“Inspections by the education department in our region are rare, and despite various memos being submitted to them to assess the situation, they are reluctant to visit and check on how children are facing an uncertain future. They need to get off their easy chairs and work actively to change the situation. Without proper infrastructure, we cannot hope for quality education,” said the activist.

Chokpot is among the least developed regions in the already underdeveloped district of South Garo Hills. Reaching Chokpot requires considerable effort, and if this neglect continues, can anyone really blame SGH for not producing academic achievers?

After taking office in 2018, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma promised to make education a priority for his government. While laudable improvements have been made in many areas, education, especially in primary and middle schools in Garo Hills, continues to lag behind the state and the country.

“There was hope that education could improve following the government’s statement, but that hope has waned over the past few years. We hope those words can be turned into action so that these schools can escape their current plight,” said Maxbirth.

Also Read: Meghalaya: South Garo Hills CSOs Serve 20-Day Ultimatum To Govt Demanding Essential Repairs Of NH 127-B