Nitish admits primary education in Bihar not so good

Patna, Jan 25 (PTI) Chief Minister Nitish Kumar todayadmitted the fact that the the quality of primary ducation inBihar was +not so good+ but said he was firm in his resolve toensure +quality education+.

"The quality of primary education is not so good inBihar and we have to make appointment of untrained teachers asthe number of children out of schools has been massive fiveyears ago", Kumar said while releasing a report on status ofeducation in Bihar compiled by the NGO-- PRATHAM.

"I am firm in my resolve to ensure quality education andwe will stress on this...we will hold eligibility test for theuntrained teachers before considering their claims for hike intheir monthly remuneration", he said.

Stating that more than 25 lakh children between the agegroup of six years to 14 years were "out of schools" in 2006,Kumar said the number of such boys gradually declined and nowonly seven lakh of them were "out of schools".

"Now for making people literate and educated ourthrust will be on quality education and for the purpose ofwhich, we will be appointing trained teachers and ensuringgood class rooms, drinking water facility, besides toilets atevery school", he said.

Referring to the erstwhile RJD government, Chief Ministersaid earlier the facilities at the government schools and themanagement were not upto the mark and siksha mitras whowere being paid just Rs 1500 per month were engaged inteaching work.

There were several government teachers who were notdischarging their duties with full honesty, he noted.

Kumar said the department of Human Resource Developmentbe rechristened as education department.

State HRD Minister P K Sahi, HRD department''s principalsecretary Anjani Kumar Singh and Bihar Education ProjectDirector Rajesh Bhushan were also present.