Shillong, Jan 30: Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma, on Tuesday said it will be mandatory for all schools to use textbooks prescribed by the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE).

He however informed that the government is still studying the pros and cons, and the merits and demerits of a petition received from the Catholic Schools Association (CSA) requesting to allow them to continue using their own textbooks.

“On that purpose, not only those schools (under CSA), but we allow only this year to continue using their own textbooks because from the next academic session of 2025, we will make it mandatory (for all schools to use MBoSE prescribed textbooks),” Sangma told reporters.

“(Again) in regards to the petition from the CSA, the government is open for any kind of discussion. We will set up a committee to study all these so that every book will be studied, will be scrutinized by the experts and then we will decide accordingly. The whole idea is that the best contents, the best curriculums and the best textbooks must be studied by students of the state,” he said.

Stating that there are many private institutions, which are using their own textbooks, Sangma however said, “It is very important as a state to have uniform standard curriculum textbooks. Therefore, we will develop our own textbooks.”

The State government had recently released the NCERT textbooks for MBoSE at the Teachers Initiation Conclave held in Tura.

The minister informed that English and Mathematics will be available from February 5 to 10 while Science NCERT Meghalaya Edition will be available from next week.

“Cabinet has already decided that MBoSE textbooks will be used in all schools affiliated to the board. However, due to certain limitations, many schools have ordered books to be published since last year, so we allow this year to continue. However, from next academic 2025 we will make it mandatory,” he said.

Meanwhile, the minister informed that the state government will hold a consultative meeting next month with experts and all stakeholders from Khasi and Garo Hills region for the development of the state curriculum framework.

“The meeting would discuss the way forward on how our traditional practices, Sixth Schedule to the Constitution, culture, traditional music and traditional sports and language – be included in the state curriculum,” he added.

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