Shillong: Meghalaya Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma has called on all MLAs and MPs in the state to channel their constituency development funds toward improving government school infrastructure, stressing that the success of the state’s education mission hinges on collective political will.
Highlighting the urgent need for better learning environments, Sangma said government efforts alone are not sufficient to meet the infrastructure demands of over 2,000 state-run schools identified for upgradation.
Leading from the front, Sangma revealed that he had used MLA scheme funds to renovate 45 schools in his Rongara-Siju constituency, allocating Rs. 2 lakh per school.
“If every MLA can take care of at least 50 schools annually, we will witness a massive shift in education infrastructure across the state,” he said.
He urged all 60 legislators and two MPs, as well as members of autonomous district councils, to step in with their available funds to support the ongoing transformation.
“Let’s not resort to blame games. Let us lead by action and commitment. We can build only if we unite,” Sangma said.
Each legislator in Meghalaya receives Rs. 2.5 crore annually under the MLA Local Area Development Scheme (MLA-LADS), meant for infrastructure projects.
These funds can be used for a range of purposes including school repairs, health centres, roads, and drinking water facilities.
Under its Mission Education programme, the state government has launched a large-scale initiative to renovate and upgrade over 2,000 government schools within two years, covering lower primary to higher secondary levels.
In 2025 alone, Rs. 100 crore was sanctioned to upgrade 200 lower primary schools, with plans to include an additional 300 in the near future.
Of the 1,608 schools already taken up under the initiative, most are either completed or nearing completion.
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However, officials noted that several schools in Mawsynram, Mylliem, and Khliehriat are still awaiting implementation.
Funding for these projects is being sourced from Samagra Shiksha, the state exchequer, and contributions from MLAs, MPs, and MDCs.
Recently, Rs. 33.8 crore was cleared for upgrading 19 upper primary and secondary schools, with a focus on classrooms, toilets, lighting, and teacher housing.
Sangma’s appeal is being seen as a clear message to public representatives: school development is a shared responsibility, and real change requires them to invest where it matters most.
