Recruiting adequate teachers my priority, Munda

Jamshedpur, Feb 18 (PTI) A day after he won the Kharswanassembly by-election, Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Mundatoday said his priority was to ensure that adequate teacherswere recuited to strengthen the education system within thenext three months.

"We have large number of high school teachers postslying vacant for long and my government�s priority is toensure adequate teachers to strenghthen the education systemat the higher level", Munda said.

Talking to PTI here, Munda said his government wouldensure that vacant posts be filled up soon as he wanted toeach high school to have adequate number of teachers.

"High school studies are a turning point in the careerof students as these youngsters will shape the future of thecountry after getting proper education", Munda said admittingthat the state has been facing a shortage of at least 5000 to6000 high school teachers.

The shortage of teachers, which was around 3500 to 4000in 2004-05, has gone up to 5000 to 6000 with the governmentupgrading about 300 primary schools into high schoolsrecently.

Besides education, he said, the government would attachpriority to electricity, water, road and other infrastructurefor which, he said, "we have intiated steps".

Asked about the forthcoming budget of the state, thechief minister said he would not divulge anything now.

Referring to the industrial policy, he said the existingpolicy has been extended till March. "We are contemplatingabout a new policy but at the moment the existing one has beenextended till March", he said.

Munda said he will resign from his seat either on March 2or 3.