In a targeted effort to elevate the standard of education and address core learning gaps, the Government of Meghalaya on Wednesday officially launched the “CM-IMPACT Read & Rise Meghalaya” programme.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma inaugurated the initiative at the Assembly Annexe Hall in Shillong, marking a structured step toward universal reading readiness for school children across the State.
The Read & Rise Meghalaya” initiative (Meghalaya Universal Reading Readiness Pro-gramme), is a primary pillar of the broader educational reform mandate, CM-IMPACT (Chief Minister’s Initiative for Maximising Pass Achievement and Classroom Triumph).
The programme is designed to ensure students develop grade-appropriate reading abilities, providing the necessary foundation for overall academic progress.
Notably, this intervention aims to systematically address learning deficiencies that were im-paired by classroom disruptions in recent years. Recognising the challenge of uneven access to learning resources particularly in rural and remote districts, it focuses on bridging this divide.
In his keynote address, Sangma said education has always been a top priority for the government, and despite the complexities, the State’s education sector is moving in the right direction.
He highlighted that Read & Rise is an ambitious programme and one of the few initiatives of its kind in the entire country that Meghalaya is embarking on.
Explaining the structure of the programme, he noted it is designed with a simple and scientific approach to ensure reading readiness.
Emphasising the initiative’s role in shaping the quality of future citizens, he stated, “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 the society as a whole and for the individual student.”
He further urged the department to ensure proper implementation and regular monitoring of the programme, stressing the need to adapt and improve the initiative wherever necessary.
Meghalaya Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui attended the launch as the guest of honour, reinforcing the department’s commitment to making comprehensive academic support accessible to every student.
During the event, the dignitaries also officially released the “Teacher Training Guide for Uni-versal Reading Readiness Across Meghalaya”, published by GREENAMMO and sponsored by the Department of Education, Government of Meghalaya, to provide educators across the State with structured pedagogical support.