Shillong, 4th March 2024:Meghalaya Chief Minister Mr. Conrad K Sangma, today, inaugurated the Academic Block and the Girls’ and Boys’ Hostel of Captain Williamson Sangma Government College in a function that was held at the college premises in the presence of Minister, Education, Rakkam A Sangma, MLA, Baghmara, Kartush R Marak, MLA, Amlarem & Chief Advisor to the Government, Lakhmen Rymbui and Chief Secretary, D P Wahlang.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Mr. Conrad K Sangma, paying homage to Late P A Sangma, on his eight death anniversary said, “It was with a vision and belief that Late P A Sangma had that to take the State forward education has to be prioritised that he laid the foundation for this college in 2008 and it is only befitting that on this day the project that he had conceived in 2008 is moving in the right direction and we are able to inaugurate this infrastructure for higher education for the youth and the people of South Garo Hills.”
He also expressed gratitude to the former Minister, Education, in the previous government and the team then for having initiated the process of transformations in the Education sector. He further said that the goals and visions that were set by the Education department five years ago is being successfully taken forward even in the present times.
“I am sure that the education sector will see huge transformations in the coming days under the able leadership of our present Minister,” he added. He also said that youth is a valuable asset but the right platform, opportunities and direction needs to be given to harness the energy, talent and skill of the youth.
He informed that education is always the top priority of the government and hence the government has in 2024 increased the budget allocation for Education from 27 crores to 350 crores . He also said that the government has earmarked 3000 crores for youth centric expenditure.
The Chief Minister further said that he had visited and inspected Baghmara College in 2019 and found the building to be unsafe for the students besides it being old and rundown.
“It gives me immense pleasure that within five years we are able to provide this new infrastructure to the youth and people of Baghmara,” he said and added that the Cabinet will soon pass the proposal for Science and Commerce streams in Sohra, Williamnagar and Baghmara colleges.
He also informed the gathering of the developmental programs and policies for South Garo Hills the chief among them bring project for the Baghmara Civil Hospital.
“A amount of 15 crores is being sanctioned by DoNER to create 150 additional beds in Baghmara Civil Hospital and an additional amount of 5 crores is being sanctioned by the state government for the building of staff quarters for doctors and nurses,” he announced. He also outlined the reforms and the infrastructural improvements and developments that are being made in the education sector.
In conclusion, the Chief Minister urged the teachers and students to collectively take the responsibility of making the college into a centre of excellence. “Let this college be a place where great minds meet, discuss and bring out ideas to bring pride to yourselves, the district and the State,” he said.
Earlier, Minister, Education, Rakkam A Sangma, said it is a red letter day for Baghmara and South Garo Hills as a whole. He recalled the establishment of the college and its progress since then.
The Captain Williamson Memorial Government College through State Sanction is a beneficiary of grants for upgrading the college to Provincialized College. Captain Williamson Memorial Government College, established in 1994 was provincialized by the Government of Meghalaya in 2008.
The upgradation of Captain Williamson Memorial Government College under Provincialized College accorded administrative approval for a sanction amount of 10.80 Crores.
The motive of the project, in line with the recommendations of NEP 2020 is to provide access to multidisciplinary education and improve GER in higher education in the district, by creating new academic block.
The tender value for the Civil Construction work earmarked at Rs. 8,51,65,956.00 was floated and the project was executed under the monitor of the State Higher Education Council (SHEC) with the sanction the State Government has created Infrastructural access to – Academic Building (classroom, library, laboratory & toilets) with advanced furniture and equipment.
The Provincialized College will facilitate access to multidisciplinary education to students of the district with the introduction of Science and Commerce stream, eliminating the need to travel across and outside the state for access to higher education which tends to be financially incentive for aspiring students from the socio-economic group.
The current enrolment of the college offering only Arts Stream is 1180 students. With the introduction of Science and Commerce stream the enrolment in the college is projected to increase immensely. The College has initiated the process to start honours courses in B.Sc. and B.Com and had forwarded the proposal to the State Government.
Other service connections for the institution (Water, Electricity & internal road, landscaping) will be borne and undertaken by the State Government along with in-line Government Department.
The Girls’ and Boys’ Hostel at Captain Williamson Memorial Government College is funded under NEC for a sanction of 1.20 Crores. The hostel facility proposes to initially accommodate an intake capacity of 20 boys and 20 girls students, the intervention is intended to improve enrolment of student from the remote areas of the district.
