Bhubaneswar, Dec. 20: Odisha school and mass education minister Rabi Narayan Nanda today told the Assembly that government would fill up vacancies of 49,000 primary schoolteachers in the state.

Nanda said: “Steps have been initiated to fill up 17,000 vacancies by regularising siksha sahayaks as teachers. Another 20,000 posts will be filled up soon by way of regular recruitment,” he said, adding that steps would be taken to fill up the remaining vacancies, if required.

Members voiced their concern over the dearth of mathematics and science teachers in schools, which affected the performance of students in these subjects.

Nanda said the government was contemplating to appoint retired mathematics and science teachers on contractual basis in high schools.

Conceding the need to improve the English-teaching standards in Odia medium schools, he said the government would open branches of the Odisha-run English Language Teaching Institute in Sambalpur, Balasore, Baripada and Berhampur to train English teachers.

“At least 50 English teachers from each district will be selected for impact training,” he said.

Expressing concern over vacancies in backward districts, several MLAs demanded expeditious steps to fill up those. “This shows the situation of educational system in the state,” said an MLA.

Members from Kalahandi district were agitated when the minister said 2,195 posts of teachers were lying vacant in the district. Congress member from Junagarh Gobardhan Das trooped into the well and alleged that the government was not taking steps to fill up vacancies and concede to his demand to upgrade two primary schools to high schools in his constituency.

Nanda assured Das of examining his demands. Of the 9,617 teachers’ posts in Kalahandi, 2,195 are vacant.

Nanda said advertisements have been issued for recruitment of 527 teachers and 477 teachers had already joined in the district.