No policy of discrimination for admission in educational institutions: Rymbui

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 19, 2021

Minister in-charge Education Lahkmen Rymbui on Friday said the state has no policy of discrimination between any category for admission in educational institution under RTE Act. 

Replying in the Assembly, Rymbui said the state reservation policy does not discriminate between a Khasi and a Garo for admission to educational institutions.

He also sad that the department has no information on the matter related to reasons for private educational institutions are more preferable than the government institutions.

Regarding the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) in the state, the minister said the DERT has developed the Meghalaya-Learning Enrichment for Academic Development (M-LEAD) platform as mandated in the RTE Act, 2009 for in service teacher training. 

It is a 6-months professional development course for teachers to be offered through online and offline mode. A web portal too is in a trial stage for the same. 

As per Meghalaya RTE Act, 2009 state rules guidelines and working models for putting into practice continuous  and comprehenive assessment has been piloted successfully in 800 schools. The same will be rolled out in 2021-22. 

He said the academic authority has designed and implemented a process of holistic school quality assessment on a regular basis, through the Meghalaya School Improvement Program (MSIP). 

It has been trialled sucessfully in 800 schools and was recently rolled out by the Directorate of School Education & Literacy in all elementary schools of the state. 

He said for school development/improvement planning under preparation of the school development plan for the purpose of section 22 and section 14 of the Meghalaya RTE Act State Rules, the same has been factored in under the MSIP. 

A total of 1,069 schools have registered and uploaded their school improvement plans for 2020-21. 

Rymbui said the state government has notified and constituted the State Commission on Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) n 2014 and POCSO ACt has been notified and implemented in all schools in Meghalaya in 2017. 

On coverage of elementary education till class 8, in the state has an access ratio of 93% in elementary education.