Shillong: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has scheduled a march and gherao of the state Secretariat in Shillong. The decision was reached during a May 25 State Executive Committee meeting, though the party has yet to disclose the specific demands for the protest.
Party leaders postponed the action until after the current examination season concludes. Spokesperson Londoner Murphy Sohtun stated that the party chose to delay the agitation to prevent academic disruptions, prioritizing the needs and future of the students.
Alongside the protest announcement, the VPP launched a harsh critique of the state government following Meghalaya's poor performance in the national Performance Grading Index 2.0. Party spokesperson A.W. Rani noted that the state scored only 417.9 out of 1000, leaving it at the bottom of the national rankings in the Akanshi-3 category.
The PGI 2.0 Indictment: The Union Ministry of Education released its latest Performance Grading Index (PGI 2.0) report, which ranked Meghalaya 36th out of 36 states and Union Territories in overall school education performance.
The VPP highlighted weak results in critical areas such as governance, infrastructure, teacher training, and learning outcomes. Specifically, the party pointed to the state's inability to fill thousands of teaching vacancies and raised concerns regarding improper fund utilization and insufficient school oversight.
Contrasting Meghalaya with neighboring states like Assam, Mizoram, and Nagaland, the VPP argued that poor management is hindering progress despite existing investments. The party warned that the government's failure to address these systemic issues leaves the future of students in the state at risk.
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