Cyclone-Hit School in South Garo Hills Remains in Shambles, GSU Seeks Action

In the South Garo Hills' heart of Meghalaya, Mindikgre children still have not been given classrooms — months since a fierce storm destroyed their school buildings. No reconstruction in sight nor visible master plan from the state, yet the Garo Students' Union (GSU), Mindikgre Regional Unit, has taken matters into its own hands by asking for accountability and immediate intervention on the government's part.

The GSU has officially made a petition to the Meghalaya state government to restore the badly damaged school buildings of recently in a recent storm. The destruction of their school buildings effectively shut down learning for students in these outlying villages.

“It’s heartbreaking to see classrooms reduced to rubble while children sit at home, losing valuable months of education,” said a GSU representative. “We’re not just talking about buildings — we’re talking about their future.”

Even with fresh assurances by the local authorities, nothing has actually been accomplished yet. The razed schools are still unrepaired, with damaged roofs, smashed walls, and rubble scattered where students once sat and studied. In the majority of the places, students are forced to crouch under makeshift awnings or even open skies, subjecting themselves to sunshine and rain in the quest for knowledge.

The GSU has cautioned that if action is not taken soon, the education climate already under pressure in the region would be irreparably damaged. "This is not an isolated crisis," the GSU further stated. "It is a symptom of a broader problem — of systemic neglect of tribal and rural education.".

The Union has demanded a comprehensive probe into the delay in the reconstruction, and urged the government to stop making just verbal declarations and take tangible steps on the ground.

While the storm-damaged buildings serve as reminders of unfulfilled promises, the GSU appeal is increasingly finding support among residents and teachers. It is a simple appeal of theirs: education must not be pushed back, nor the government's tempo. Promises offered in the guise of progress must be fulfilled by the people for whom they were intended.