Shillong, October 30 : Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma today inaugurated the MPOWER Education Action Conclave 2025, a two-day event organized in collaboration with the Department of Education, Government of Meghalaya, at the State Convention Centre, Shillong.
The event, attended by Education Minister Lakhmen Rymbui, Chief Secretary Dr. Shakil Ahammed, Principal Secretary Sampath Kumar, Commissioners and Secretaries Vijay Kumar Mantri and R. Rapthap, and other senior officials, focused on strengthening Meghalaya’s education framework through data-driven reforms and student-centric initiatives.
In his inaugural address, the Chief Minister emphasized that the true purpose of education must remain centred on the child. “As a government, as a department, as officials, and as teachers, we must focus on the child, for which we are all here today. That should be our driving force,” he said.
He noted that many departments tend to lose sight of their core purpose while trying to achieve saturation under various schemes. The MPOWER programme, he explained, was conceptualized to identify and address deep-rooted social and emotional challenges faced by adolescents — including school dropouts, teenage pregnancies, and substance abuse — by offering targeted, multi-sectoral interventions.
Highlighting ongoing reforms, Sangma said education is a “sticky” sector where results take time to manifest. “Transformative steps have been taken in recent years, but the outcomes will take a decade or more to be visible,” he stated, urging patience while reforms take root.
He pointed out structural challenges such as the presence of 14,000 schools across multiple categories, complicating rationalisation and management. “We are now moving towards a structured and organised system, reducing the number of school categories and ensuring better utilisation of resources,” he said.
On the issue of SSA and Ad-hoc teachers, the Chief Minister assured that the government is working to create a systematic framework to provide “stability, structure, and security” for teaching personnel.
The Chief Minister also announced the CM’s Mission for 100% Toilets, under which every school, college, hospital, office, tourist spot, and public place in Meghalaya will be equipped with clean toilets and running water. “Universal sanitation and accessibility are critical to creating a healthy learning environment,” he said.
Sangma underscored the importance of education officials at all levels in implementing the government’s vision. “Teachers and officials are the backbone of this transformation. Their active participation and commitment will determine the success of our reforms,” he remarked.
MPOWER Meghalaya is a flagship government-led initiative supported by the World Bank, designed to enhance adolescent well-being, empowerment, and resilience. It adopts a multi-sectoral approach, integrating education, health, and skill development to address high dropout rates, teenage pregnancies, and social challenges among youth aged 9–19 years.
The two-day conclave features sessions on key educational themes, including Implementation of NEP 2020 in Schools, Rationalisation of Schools and UDISE-PGI Integration, PM POSHAN and PM SHRI Implementation, Opening and Recognition of New Schools, Teacher Training and Samagra Shiksha Overview, Role of DSEOs and SDSEOs in Programme Delivery, Media & Communication in Education among many other components and issues in the education sector.
