Shllong, Sept 6: The Meghalaya & Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association (MGSPHSVA) felicitated 41 children of its members who passed their class X, XII and bachelor examinations, with mementos and token cash reward.
In a statement, MGSPHSVA said the awards were distributed by Martina Lyttan and L Tariang, magistrates and incident commanders at hawkers’ market in Polo Parking lot on Monday.
Lyttan also read a special message of encouragement from Isawanda Laloo, District Commissioner of East Khasi Hills.
After the first wave of lockdown, the Association had decided to create educationally enabling situation for the children of its members by starting an Education Clinic.
Umsohsun Dorbar, led by its Rangbah Shnong, Paul J Sawian, allowed the union to hold tuition classes in its Dorbar hall. This unique education clinic was staffed by volunteer teachers including poet Lalnunsanga Ralte, computer science graduate Jo Wahlang from Chennai Mathematical Institute and a mathematics graduate from IISER Kolkata, Riban War, a zoologist and Akash Sil, a past top ten student of MBoSE in the commerce stream. Two of the teachers are children of street vendors themselves.
The results of the intervention have been encouraging.
Three students, Celestine M Marak, Malveen Malngiang and Payal Paul scored more than 75% in their class X examinations. While in Higher Secondary examinations, Jasinta Sangma scored 77% and Merlin Pathaw, 68% marks. Two students Shumilin Rani & Khusina M Marak got first division in their final bachelor examinations in Commerce and Computers.
MGSPHSVA said it will continue its education clinic programme this year too. The association is working to ensure that educational excellence does not remain a domain of the rich and the powerful, and is looking to create a supplementary educational programme which gives creative linguistic skills and scientific temper to the students, so that they can break the barrier of the class divide in Meghalaya and work towards creating a truly egalitarian Meghalaya.
