Shillong: The Meghalaya government has launched the CM-IMPACT Read & Rise Meghalaya programme, an initiative aimed at improving foundational reading skills among school children, with the state setting a three-month target to ensure every child above the age of seven is able to read.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma launched the programme at the Assembly Annexe Hall in Shillong. The initiative is part of the government’s broader CM-IMPACT (Chief Minister’s Initiative for Maximising Pass Achievement and Classroom Triumph) education reform programme.
The Read & Rise programme, also described as the Meghalaya Universal Reading Readiness Programme, focuses on developing grade-appropriate reading abilities among students. The government said the intervention is intended to address learning gaps and improve academic outcomes, particularly in areas where access to learning resources has been uneven.
Speaking at the launch, Sangma said the programme was designed around a simple and scientific approach to building reading readiness. He also stressed the need for regular monitoring of its implementation and for the education department to make changes where required.
“The investment we are making in the children today is going to start showing results 20 years from now,” Sangma said, adding that investment in children’s education would have long-term benefits for students and society.
Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui also attended the launch.
As part of the programme, the government released a Teacher Training Guide for Universal Reading Readiness Across Meghalaya. The guide has been published by GREENAMMO and sponsored by the Department of Education, Meghalaya, to provide teachers with structured support for implementing the reading programme.
Vijay Kumar Mantri, IAS, Commissioner and Secretary, Department of Education, Meghalaya, said the state was focusing on learning outcomes at an early stage. He cited earlier initiatives including SSLC student guidebooks, the Classroom Readiness Programme and the Meghalaya Learning Enhancement Programme as part of the department’s efforts to improve student performance.
Mantri said the immediate objective under Read & Rise was to ensure that every child above seven years of age in Meghalaya could read within three months.
“If every child can read, that is the foundation of entire quality of education,” he said.
The programme places foundational reading skills at the centre of the state’s efforts to address learning deficiencies and improve overall academic performance. The government also expects the intervention to contribute to improvements in board examination pass percentages over time.
The launch was attended by Richa Kulkarni, IAS, Director of School Education and Literacy, Meghalaya, along with officials from the education department and other allied departments.
