Meghalaya Teacher Eligibility Test postponed, says CM Sangma
Shillong, May 18
Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma, on Monday announced the postponement of the Meghalaya Teacher Eligibility Test, which was earlier scheduled to be held on May 29, following appeals from teachers engaged in multiple national duties, including Census and SIR-related assignments.
Addressing a public programme in Damas in North Garo Hills district, the Chief Minister said a delegation of teachers had recently met him and expressed concerns over the difficulties they were facing in preparing for the examination while simultaneously handling classroom responsibilities and mandatory government duties.
"The teachers are worried and in a dilemma, given their multiple concurrent assignments," Sangma said while announcing the postponement.
"Considering their concerns, I would like to inform that the MTET examination stands postponed. Teachers need not worry. We will evaluate the overall situation and reschedule a proper, suitable date to ensure they have adequate preparation time."
The Chief Minister said the government acknowledged the pressure on educators and wanted to ensure that teachers received sufficient time to prepare for the eligibility examination without compromising their official assignments.
Speaking on the broader state of education in Meghalaya, Sangma lauded teachers for their dedication and resilience despite several systemic challenges, including gaps in professional training and infrastructure limitations in some areas.
He highlighted that the Meghalaya government has made substantial investments in the education sector in recent years, focussing on improving school infrastructure and expanding access to educational institutions across the state.
However, the Chief Minister admitted that while the state has made progress in expanding the number of schools, quality education remains a major challenge.
"In terms of quantity, we have enough schools, but we are lagging behind in quality," he said.
"Raising the standard will take time, but we are fully committed to ensuring it happens."
Sangma stressed that improving the education system cannot be the responsibility of the government and teachers alone, and called for active collaboration among parents, communities and all stakeholders to create an enabling environment for students.
He reiterated the government's commitment to strengthening the education sector and ensuring better learning outcomes for children across the state.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally some sense! Teachers were literally juggling classroom teaching, census work AND exam prep. State should have coordinated better. But appreciate that they listened to concerns. Now please ensure fair rescheduling without further delays.
As someone who works in education policy, I appreciate CM Sangma's honesty about the quality gap. Having enough schools is one thing, but the real challenge is ensuring every child gets proper learning outcomes. Good to see leaders acknowledging this.
While postponement is welcome, why were teachers given census duties in the first place? They're educators, not census officers. Govt should hire dedicated staff for such work. This is basic planning failure. 😠
Quality over quantity - that's what every state needs to focus on. Meghalaya is taking steps in right direction. Hope other northeastern states also learn from this approach. Education is the only way forward for our region.
But aren't these exams meant to ensure quality teachers in classrooms? If teachers can't prepare properly due to other duties, the whole purpose gets defeated. At least CM listened. Now need concrete timeline for the new dates. 🗓️
Respect for CM Sangma for admitting quality gap. Most politicians shy away from such honest assessment. Now need to see concrete action plan - teacher training, infrastructure, and
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