Assam – Meghalaya border row: School children bear the brunt

At least 2 schools have been shut and the construction of one school under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) had to be stopped

It is not just the people residing along the Assam-Meghalaya border areas who are bearing the brunt of the border dispute between the two states. School going children too are suffering. Meghalaya Education Minister, Rakkam A Sangma informed that because of the border dispute, one to two schools had to be shut down, and the construction of a Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) school had to be halted.

The closure of the schools has forced the students to relocate to nearby educational institutions.

Among the affected schools, one is a government lower primary school located in East Jaintia Hills, accommodating 30 students and three teachers. Sangma expressed concerns over the impact on the education of these students and emphasized the need to find a resolution that prioritizes teaching and learning on humanitarian grounds.

“The school was located in the disputed area between the governments of Meghalaya and Assam. We are looking at the matter, we should have boundaries for our state but there should not be boundaries in terms of teaching and learning on humanitarian ground”, said Minister Rakkam A Sangma.

Minister Sangma further mentioned that he would bring the matter to the attention of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, urging him to address the issue with the Assam government at a higher level and at the earliest.

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