Nongstoin, Oct 15: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday inaugurated the newly constructed building of Synod College in Nongstoin, West Khasi Hills, along with a new college library and interactive smart classrooms.
The inauguration was attended by Minister Methodius Dkhar, MLA Gabriel Wahlang and MLA R.G. Momin.
Addressing the gathering, Sangma said the state government had spent the past eight years rethinking and restructuring Meghalaya’s education system, from school-level learning to higher education.
Describing education as a key driver of social progress, he said the state’s education policy was developed with experts to address systemic challenges rather than focus only on indicators such as Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) pass percentages.
As part of the reforms, Meghalaya’s school network has been rationalised, with the number of schools reduced from 14,000 to 11,500 through mergers and restructuring, the Chief Minister said.
Government expands higher education infrastructure
Highlighting the expansion of higher and technical education, Sangma said Meghalaya had around 10 government higher technical institutes and colleges before 2018. Another 10 institutions have been added over the past eight years, he said.
These include Shillong Engineering College, Captain Williamson Sangma University, the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shillong Medical College, and science and commerce colleges at Mahendraganj, Mawphlang and Sohra, among others.
Sangma said education receives the highest budgetary allocation in the state, with Rs 3,500 crore earmarked from Meghalaya’s annual budget of Rs 30,000 crore.
“The question is not lack of money. The question is how you spend it and what is the impact of that spending,” he said.
The Chief Minister also mentioned that d scholarship disbursements had reached nearly Rs 400 crore over the preceding 12 months.
He cited releases of Rs 100 crore before Christmas in 2025, another Rs 100 crore on August 27, 2026, and Rs 104 crore on October 13, 2026.
Untangling one knot at a time
Explaining the challenges of reforming the education system, Sangma compared the process to untangling a knotted headphone wire, stressing the need for patience and cooperation among stakeholders.
“Education is like a tangled headphone wire. If you pull too hard on one side, the knot gets stronger. You have to patiently untangle one knot at a time, carry all stakeholders along and minimise impact. That is the approach we have taken,” he said.
Recalling advice from his late father, former Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma, the Chief Minister said, “Believe you are doing the right thing and someone above will move the universe to make it happen.”
He added that several projects were approved even when funding sources were not immediately clear, requiring the government to approach central authorities and agencies and explore innovative funding options.
Government assures support to Synod College
Sangma assured the governing body of Synod College that the state government would work with the institution to address its needs, including infrastructure and salary-related challenges.
“Do not worry. What you are doing is right. You are doing good for society, for every child who would not have the opportunity to study in an institute like this. We may not build a new campus overnight, we will have challenges of salaries and infrastructure, but we will find a way,” he said.
The Chief Minister also praised Rev. S.S. Majaw and the Presbyterian Church for their contribution to education in Meghalaya, saying their work served the wider interests of society.
The new building, library and smart classrooms are expected to strengthen educational infrastructure at Synod College and provide additional facilities for students from across the West Khasi Hills region.
