Photo Courtesy: nenews
Shillong: Meghalaya is turning its SPARK initiative into a long-term fixture. The program aims to boost soft skills and STEM awareness for students in Classes 6 through 10. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma confirmed the expansion during Wednesday's District Talent Event 2026 in Tura.
SPARK started as a 2024 pilot across 12 districts. It covered 5,143 students in 25 government schools, with girls making up 73 percent of that group. The Ministry of Education’s Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan later provided funding to reach 8,000 students across 28 campuses. That version earned recognition as a Best National Education Policy practice. By August 31, the program hit 12,078 students at 53 campuses, including 6,592 girls and 5,486 boys.
Sangma says academic marks often hide a student's real potential. He wants to help kids who struggle with teamwork or interviews. "A student may know an answer perfectly well and still struggle to ask a question, explain an idea, work within a group, face an interview or recover from a failure," Sangma said. The program also trains teachers. So far, 526 educators from 287 schools finished a 30-hour training course.
The government is treating this as a multi-year effort. It will run alongside existing investments in higher education and employment. Sangma noted that the state's potential lies in human quality rather than population size. He pointed to the successful STAR sports program as proof of untapped potential in rural areas, where one student clocked a 10.8-second 100-meter dash without prior training. The Chief Minister expects these initiatives to prepare youth for a decade of global change.
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