Shillong: Opposition legislators slammed Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday for his recent comments regarding the pay of deficit teachers. Mawlai MLA Brightstarwell Marbaniang accused the Chief Minister of sarcasm intended to humiliate educators. The dispute centers on Sangma’s claim that some teachers pull in Rs 4.5 lakh a month.
Marbaniang rejected the figure during a Short Duration Discussion on education. He noted that even the most senior staff earn roughly Rs 3.5 lakh. The MLA demanded to know the source of the higher number. He argued that the state must pay every teacher well because the future of Meghalaya rests on their shoulders.
The debate moved toward the broader state of the education system. Marbaniang pointed to numerous vacancies across government schools and deficit colleges left open for two to three years. He labeled the current academic environment a “sad state of affairs.” He also questioned the government’s reliance on the CM Impact guidebook to boost pass rates instead of focusing on actual teaching quality.
Marbaniang highlighted his own background as a product of Government Boys’ Higher Secondary School and NEHU. He noted that many colleagues turned down lucrative post-doctoral offers in Europe or teaching scholarships in the United States to work locally. He insisted that the government must stop undermining public institutions. The focus, he argued, needs to shift away from salary statistics and toward recognizing the contributions of those shaping the next generation.
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