Shillong, June 7: The Khasi Students Union (KSU) has strongly opposed the government?s decision against bifurcating the Meghalaya Board of School Education.

The government, in a statement, issued late last evening, said it was in favour of strengthening the board instead of bifurcating it. It said the decision had been taken after studying the report of the inquiry committee headed by commissioner of divisions, R.M. Mishra, to improve the efficiency of the board.

However, the KSU retorted saying chief minister D.D. Lapang ?had betrayed the Khasi-Jaintia people,? and that its repercussions would be felt all over the state. The students? union, which has been demanding the bifurcation of the board, had a meeting today to discuss the issue. As the meeting remained inconclusive in the morning, another was called later in the evening.

Sources said the KSU may resort to a prolonged agitation, as it had done last month to oppose the government?s stand on its demand to bifurcate the board. However, the KSU has yet to announce its decision.

In its statement, the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government said the board has been directed to fill up the 23 vacant posts, which include that of a joint secretary, a controller and a deputy secretary.

The statement said in order to enhance the efficiency of the board, its presence in other five districts of the state was necessary to ease the problems faced by the student community.