Fifty-nine-year-old Meghalaya man goes back to school to finish Class 10 exams

Thirty-seven years after financial hardship forced him to leave school, 59-year-old Sylvester Shadap is preparing to take his Class 10 board exams in Meghalaya. Shadap left school in 1989 to take care of his family. He lives in Thadrang Umngem village in the Ri Bhoi district.

Programme Details

Shadap is the oldest candidate among 9,767 people registered as private students for the Secondary School Leaving Certificate examination. This test happens in December under the Meghalaya Second Chance Learning Programme. The scheme has no upper age limit and includes learners from all 12 districts of the state. It is run together by the Meghalaya government, the Meghalaya Board of School Education, and the Meghalaya Programme for Adolescent Wellbeing, Empowerment and Resilience.

Preparation and Support

Studying again after nearly four decades has been tough for Shadap because the syllabus has changed a lot. The scheme has set up 171 learning centres across the state, with 690 registered students in Ri Bhoi alone. Students get free self-study books in subjects like English, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Health, Khasi, and Garo. The scheme helps people who had to quit school due to money problems, family duties, early marriage, moving home, or travel trouble.

Context

This initiative follows the National Education Policy, which pushes for flexible learning and gives people a second chance to study at any age. After passing the Class 10 exam, students can move on to higher secondary classes, job training, or skill courses.