Shillong, Sept 02: Education Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui on Monday said that the State government would require Rs 5000 crore to resolve all problems related to functioning of schools and teachers and streamline the education system in the state.

Rymbui said that the state government did not sit idle but work hard to find out ways and means to address problems of the education department and address the grievances of teachers.

Rymbui statement came after teachers of deficit schools under the banner of Khasi Jaiñtia Deficit School Teachers Association (KJDSTA) and Garo Hills Deficit School Teachers and Employees Association (GHDSTEA) announced their decision to observe Teachers’ Day on September 5 as Black Flag Day as the state government had failed to fulfill their various demands.

“As a minister and the government, we have been taking time to think about to how to find out ways and means to solve the problems that the education department, various categories of schools and teachers are currently facing in the state,” Rymbui told reporters.

He however informed that to solve the problems once and for all and streamline the education system, the State government would require around Rs 5,000 crore.

“We would need roughly Rs 5,000 crore in order to streamline our education system in the state right from the existence of different categories of schools, teachers and other requirements,” Rymbui said.

He said that the state government was cautioned by the Centre as there are many schools and teachers whereas the enrollment of students was poor in many schools.

“I explained to the Union Minister for HRD about the problems that we face, especially the terrain where a small village would require having a school because of the distance,” he said.

Rymbui said that the suggestion of the teachers’ association was fit and proper that the state government should provincialise the teacher’s services but the government cannot do it overnight without proper planning and enough resources.

The Education Minister also urged all stakeholders especially the managing committees, teachers to work together with the government for the benefit of the students and to ensure quality education in the state.

Asked about the demand of the teachers’ associations which threatened to observe black flag day on Teachers’ Day, Rymbui said that the state government would not work on certain pressure or deadline or stop gap arrangement.

“We are working under constraints and we have no medicines to cure but we tried to find out solution amid constraint,” Rymbui said.