Shillong: The Meghalaya govt on Wednesday launched the “CM-IMPACT Read & Rise Meghalaya” programme, aimed at improving foundational reading skills and addressing learning gaps among schoolchildren across the state.Chief minister Conrad K Sangma inaugurated the Meghalaya Universal Reading Readiness Programme at the Assembly Annexe Hall in Shillong. The initiative is part of the broader CM-IMPACT programme — Chief Minister’s Initiative for Maximising Pass Achievement and Classroom Triumph.The programme seeks to ensure that students acquire grade-appropriate reading skills, which the govt said would form the foundation for better academic performance. It will focus particularly on children who have faced learning deficiencies due to classroom disruptions in recent years, as well as students in rural and remote areas with limited access to educational resources.Speaking at the launch, Sangma said education remained a top priority for the govt and described the initiative as one of the few of its kind in the country.“The investment we are making in the children today is going to start showing results 20 years from now. This kind of an investment is something that’s going to have one of the highest returns that we can imagine, not for us, but for society as a whole and for the individual student,” he said.The chief minister also asked the education department to ensure proper implementation and regular monitoring of the programme, and to make changes wherever necessary.Education minister Lahkmen Rymbui attended the event as the guest of honour.The govt also released a “Teacher Training Guide for Universal Reading Readiness Across Meghalaya”. Published by GREENAMMO and sponsored by the state education department, the guide is intended to provide teachers with structured support for implementing the programme.Vijay Kumar Mantri, commissioner and secretary of the education department, said the state was seeking to define learning outcomes at an early age, going beyond the mandates of the National Education Policy.The programme builds on earlier departmental initiatives, including SSLC student guidebooks, the Classroom Readiness Programme and the Meghalaya Learning Enhancement Programme.Under the immediate target of Read & Rise, every child above the age of seven in Meghalaya should be able to read within three months, Mantri said.“If every child can read, that is the foundation of the entire quality of education, and we’ll be in a different league altogether if we are successful,” he said.The govt expects the programme to help improve learning standards, raise board examination pass percentages and promote a more equitable education system in the state.Other officials present at the launch included Richa Kulkarni, director of school education and literacy, and representatives of allied departments.
