Shillong: The Meghalaya government has shifted its focus from scheme driven approach to a “purpose-driven” one to address the challenges and problems for the growth of the state, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said on Thursday.
“Our government has started to look at things differently, not just scheme-based implementation. We are assessing the impact of the schemes and our intervention, as we understand that change in the mindset and the way we look at the problems differently, will ensure that we address the concerns,” he said.
Speaking at the Meghalaya Education Symposium 2023, organized by the state department of education here, the Chief Minister highlighted the significance of adopting a holistic perspective that encompasses education, health, and well-being throughout a person’s entire lifecycle, while designing programmes and interventions in the education sector.
Stating that education, health, and well-being should not be confined to the school setting alone, Sangma said, “It starts from conception of a child to the first 1000 days, early childhood, adolescence, and finally adulthood. Therefore, a holistic and purpose-driven approach is what we follow, and this marks the government’s commitment to doing things differently.”
“The Meghalaya Education Symposium 2023 serves as a testament to the government’s commitment to revamping the education sector and embracing innovative approaches. By fostering a purpose-driven mindset and putting students at the center of decision-making, Meghalaya aims to become a trailblazer in transforming education,” he added.
Referring to flagship MOTHER (Meghalaya’s Outcomes oriented Transformation in Health, nutrition, Education and Rural development) programme, he said that Meghalaya is pioneering a program that integrates health, education, rural development, and social welfare to prioritize the well-being of the mother and child, adding that this unique approach places the spotlight on the stakeholders who play a crucial role in shaping the future of education.
Reflecting on past practices, the Chief Minister acknowledged that decision-making in education often revolved around politicians, teachers, and managing committees, rather than prioritizing the students themselves.
He emphasized the need to rectify this oversight, remarking, “We forgot along the way that it is the students for whom we are doing all this, and maybe this is where we went wrong”.
“Our decision should be based on what is good for the student. Though politicians, teachers and managing committees are important, we should not forget that we are here to serve the students. We need to slowly, in a phased manner start transiting into a child and student-focused approach,” he added.
The Meghalaya Education Symposium also commemorated the 50th year of the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE).
During the event, the CM and other dignitaries felicitated the toppers of the SSLC and HSSLC board examinations. Swapnil Bhattacharya, UPSC CSE 2022-23 rank holder was also felicitated.
