Tura (Meghalaya), April 20: Meghalaya teachers gave Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma a moment he called “rare” — a public thank-you.
The All-Meghalaya 4th Teachers’ Association, Garo Hills Unit, felicitated Sangma Monday at Tura’s District Auditorium to mark the launch of the Structure Pay Framework, a reform designed to end years of delayed, uneven salaries across the state.
“We’re not used to gratitude,” Sangma told the gathering after receiving a bouquet and memento. “People expect delivery. But today I’m humbled.” He said his first real look at the sector’s “deep-rooted issues” came in 2016 as MP, and that some reforms were tough but unavoidable.
Over 23,000 teachers — including SSA, fourth teachers, ad hoc, Hindi grant, and science grant categories — have benefited, he said. The changes, backed by Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui and officials, follow Meghalaya’s new Education Policy and Education Commission set up after 2018 to map gaps in infrastructure, training, quality, and tech.
Sangma said the sector’s core flaw was simple: “We focused on everything except the child’s education.” He asked teachers to shift from finishing syllabi to ensuring real learning. “Place the child at the centre. That’s the only resolution that matters.”
Association president Tengsrang K. Sangma called the framework a “long-awaited breakthrough.” Vice President Tangseng M. Marak said the April 1 rollout was “more than a policy — it is a transformation,” as teachers rose in unison to applaud.
Rymbui said the move will bring institutional efficiency and predictability to pay. PHE Minister Marcuise N. Marak termed it a signal of the government’s focus on employee welfare.
Cultural songs opened and closed the event, which ended with a vote of thanks from the Joint Director of School Education & Literacy, Tura.
