CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG: Many Garo people cannot speak Khasi, and many Khasi people cannot speak Garo—this striking linguistic divide within Meghalaya’s two major tribes has prompted the state government to propose making both languages compulsory up to Class 4. The Education Department is now seeking feedback from stakeholders on this ambitious plan, which also aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 that emphasizes the use of local languages in early education.
Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma said, “We have about 17–20 lakhs of Garo population, and many are residing in Assam, Bihar, West Bengal, Arunachal, Nagaland and Bangladesh. Garo people—about 20 lakhs, if I am not wrong—speak Garo, and the Khasi language is spoken across Meghalaya, Assam and in Bangladesh. These two languages are spoken across the border, but many of the Garos don’t know Khasi, and many Khasis don’t know Garo. So this is a separation between two tribes in Meghalaya.”
Sangma added that if all Khasis could speak Garo and all Garos could speak Khasi, “then the number of people speaking Garo and Khasi will go up.” He said, “To meet this objective, we are just seeking views from the stakeholders as well as education institutions before deciding anything on this.”
The idea, first proposed by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, also aims to meet NEP 2020’s call for prioritizing mother tongue education. “To safeguard and promote the Garo and Khasi languages, the Education Department is seeking the opinions, comments and views of the people, the stakeholders, the experts, and the academicians—of all stakeholders.”
However, Sangma acknowledged the technical hurdles the proposal might face if implemented.
The public has been invited to submit their feedback via email to megeducation@yahoo.com by May 9, 2025.
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