Shillong: Meghalaya is betting big on its students. The government just kicked off the first of 12 district-level SPARK talent events at Windermere in Shillong. The initiative aims to sharpen the soft skills of 20,532 students across 81 campuses. The stage is set.
Students performed 42 acts covering everything from beatboxing and rap to STEM projects and DIY crafts. Three students stood out as the East Khasi Hills SPARK Stars: Phidashisha L Mawlong for solo singing, the St. Mary’s Choir for group vocals, and Edmund Wilson Syiemiong for a handmade Chainsaw Man costume.
The program involves 13 local schools, including Auxilium Higher Secondary, St. Joseph Higher Secondary, and Raid Shabong Border Area Government Secondary. Class IX student Elmer Jasper Laitphlang proved the value of the STEM track by showing off a homemade speaker. It works.
Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui told the crowd that the classroom must change to fit the kids, not the other way around. Sister Julita Lyngdoh Lyngkhoi, principal at Hubert Memorial SSA Upper Primary School, noticed a shift in her students. "A child asking a question because he wants clarity… for some of our students, this is pure transformation," she said.
The state scaled the project after a 2024 pilot reached 5,143 students. Now, 526 teachers are trained under the SPARK for Teachers initiative. Director of School Education and Literacy Richa Kulkarni, IAS, said the goal is confidence. HM Shangpliang, adviser to the Department of Education, credited Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma for the vision behind the push. The road to the state summit starts now.
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