How village has endured dire education system with knock

Khliehriat, Oct 27: The village of Lumshken in East Jaintia Hills has a functional school. Just about.

The Government Lower Primary School there caters to 97 students who are crammed into a small, comfortless classroom with just two teachers handling multiple classes simultaneously. Five students squeeze onto a single bench, struggling to write and stifled by an unhealthy environment.

Many schools in Meghalaya, especially rural ones, suffer similar problems – lack of teachers, too many students, collapsing buildings, no electricity, etc. The case of Lumshken, however, demonstrates how far-reaching the issues at this level have knock-on effects further down the line.

The village school was established in 1958 but its poor state has led to numerous dropouts. Village secretary Yoowest Khaï