Meghalaya education dept to consult with health dept on re-opening of schools
The Meghalaya education department will consult with the health department first before taking any decision on re-opening of schools in the state. This was decided in a meeting between the education department and representatives of school managing committees and governing bodies at the main secretariat on Saturday. The vice chancellor of North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) also attended the meeting. Principal secretary (education), Donald Phillips Wahlang said the discussion with the stake holders was on re-opening of schools, school fees, hostel fees, and evaluation of papers for examinations conducted by the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE).
“We have to consult further with the health department and higher level,” Wahlang said. He informed that evaluation of papers has already started and the examination for remaining four subjects will be conducted in May provided that the lockdown is not extended. “If it is extended, we have to re-visit again, but if not, then we already have our plans. However, nothing is final as of now, because we are not so sure about the lockdown in the first place,” he said. On declaration of results, the principal secretary said, last year, the results of the SSLC examinations were declared on May 26, and it will not be far from the date this year too.
On school fees concession, Wahlang informed that it has been more or less agreed that school fees should be exempted for those impacted by the lockdown for instance, daily labourers. “It was more or less agreed that school fees should be exempted for the month of March, April and May for those severely impacted by the lockdown,” he said, adding that the managing committees of various schools have statistics and data on parents’ income.“The managing committees will take a call, and a directive will be issued in due course of time,” Wahlang said.
