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Meghalaya launched a series of education reforms in Tura on Saturday, May 23, including new digital systems for the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE), the CM LEAD Fellowship programme, and the deployment of 27 vehicles to strengthen field-level monitoring in the education sector.

The vehicles, flagged off at Matchakolgre LP School playground, have been allotted to officials of the School Education and Literacy Department, including District School Education Officers and Sub-Divisional School Education Officers, to improve mobility and supervision in rural and remote areas.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said Meghalaya’s education sector remains one of the most complex in the North East, citing the large number of schools and teachers across the state. He said reforming the system has been difficult because of its scale, but added that the government has continued to push structural changes.

Highlighting the state’s recent decision to allocate an additional ₹215 crore annually for SSA teachers, Sangma said the move was aimed at resolving long-standing issues related to salaries and job security.

“This is not just about salary; it is about dignity and providing stability to teachers,” he said, adding that many teachers previously lacked the financial security needed even to access bank loans.

The Chief Minister also said Meghalaya currently spends around ₹3,500 crore on education and supports nearly 4,500 grant-in-aid schools across the state.

Despite Meghalaya recording its highest-ever SSLC pass percentage at 97.26 per cent this year, Sangma stressed that education reforms should focus beyond examination scores.

“To change the quality of education, it must be micro-level. Not just the school, but every single student,” he said.

The programme also marked the launch of two new MBOSE software platforms — the E-Office Management System and Accounting System Software — aimed at improving digital governance, institutional efficiency and accountability in the education sector.

Officials said the systems are expected to streamline administrative processes and improve service delivery for students, teachers and parents.

Another key announcement was the launch of the Chief Minister’s Leadership in Education and Development (CM LEAD) Fellowship, which seeks to strengthen classroom learning and improve education management across Meghalaya’s nearly 8,000 government and government-aided schools.

Education Commissioner and Secretary Vijay Kumar Mantri said the government had undertaken extensive work to develop a structured pay framework designed to provide long-term stability and security for teachers.