25% school quota: Meghalaya trains officials on RTE mandate

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 2, 2025

The State Education Mission Authority of Meghalaya (SEMAM), Samagra Shiksha, in collaboration with Indus Action, organised a sensitisation and training programme for education stakeholders from all 12 districts of the state.

The four-day programme, held from 27th to 30th May 2025 at the DERT Annexe in Shillong, focused on the implementation of Section 12(1)(c) of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

The inaugural session was attended by key officials, including Swapnil Tembe, IAS, Secretary, Education Department, Government of Meghalaya and State Project Director, SEMAM, Samagra Shiksha; Banteilang J. Kharshandi, MCS, Director of School Education and Literacy and Deputy State Project Director, SEMAM; and Dr. Andrew Warjri, Officer on Special Duty, Samagra Shiksha.

Participants included officials from the Education Department such as District School Education Officers, Sub-Divisional School Education Officers, District and Block Mission Coordinators, and MIS Coordinators at the state, district, and block levels. A team of resource persons from Indus Action also took part in the programme.

In his keynote address, Swapnil Tembe highlighted the mandate under Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act, which requires all private unaided (non-minority) schools to reserve at least 25% of seats in Class I for children from economically weaker sections (EWS) and disadvantaged groups (DG), including Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, children affected by HIV, orphans, and others. These children are entitled to free and compulsory elementary education until its completion.

He stressed that inclusive education helps eliminate stigma and fosters social integration, allowing children from diverse backgrounds to learn together and build mutual understanding.

Banteilang J. Kharshandi emphasised that the implementation of this provision would open up opportunities for many children from poor families to access quality education free of cost. He urged all stakeholders—district education officials, private schools, parents, and communities—to work together to ensure the effective rollout of this initiative.

The programme aimed to raise awareness, provide training, and build capacity among all involved in implementing RTE Section 12(1)(c). To support this effort, a dedicated RTE web portal has been launched to manage student applications, school registrations, and departmental operations. The portal is designed to streamline processes, enhance transparency, and strengthen accountability through better grievance redressal mechanisms and monitoring systems.