M M Jasim :
County’s noted educationists have criticised the role of Education Ministry and University Grants Commission (UGC) in giving approval of the private universities as most of them are yet to fulfill the conditions of the Private University Act-2010.
They argued that both the ministry and the UGC have failed to ensure quality education in private universities. Even they ignored the direction to go to their permanent campuses.
Meanwhile, more 16 new private universities are now waiting to get approval from the Education Ministry, although most of the running universities are yet to fulfill the conditions of the university act, ministry sources said. The educationists termed the recent role of the ministry and the UGC as illogical and unexpected. They said the higher education has turned as profitable business in the country.
Professor Syed Anwar Husain of History Department at Dhaka University told The New Nation on Thursday that the approval of new private universities is illogical and unethical.
“There is no private university which ensures quality higher education. There are many problems in management committee. They are not busy with academic activities,” he said, adding, “The initiators are just doing business in the name of higher education.”
“The BNP-led government approved the private universities on the political basis. The incumbent government pledged to the nation that they would not give any permission for the new private universities. But it has already broken the commitment,” he added.
Professor Anwar said, “The present government is going to give approval of more new universities on the political basis. Every one of the initiations is businessman or politician. No one is noted educationist in the offing list.”
Noted educationist Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam of Dhaka University said, “I think the government should put more emphasis on improving the standard of education in the existing private universities before giving approval to new ones.”
The government should conduct a survey on what types of universities the country needs at this moment and then give approval on the basis of the demand, he said.
Sources said many of the universities did not return to their permanent campuses and a good number of them are operating their academic activities neglecting the Act.
There are 95 private universities in the country. Of them, seven are yet to start operation while the authorities shut academic activities of two. It is to be noted that, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Rawshan Ershad has applied for Rawshan Ershad International University, Bangladesh, in Mymensingh, while Chief Whip ASM Firoz for South Region University in Patuakhali.
The ruling Awami League lawmakers Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury submitted application to establish University of Brahmanbaria and Mohammed Shamsul Hoque Bhuyan for Apollo University of Science and Technology in Chandpur.
Former Jatiya Party lawmaker HM Golam Reza sought permission to set up Singapore University of Bangladesh in the capital’s Mirpur area. President of Dhaka Ahsania Mission Kazi Rafiqul Alam and Director (International) of European Case Study Centre, UK Professor Mahmudul Hasan have applied for Khulna Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah University in Khulna and Ahsania Mission University of Science and Technology in Rajshahi.
Former Chairman of Rupali Bank Dr Ahmed Al Kabir submitted papers to establish RTM Al Kabir Technical University in Sylhet, while President of Bangladesh Buddha Krishti Prachar Sangha Suddhananda Mahathero is the imitator of the University of Atish Dipankar in Munshiganj. Businessmen Mostofa Azad Chowdhury and Ashraful Alam Al-Amin are the initiators of Rangpur University in Rangpur and North Bengal University in Rangpur respectively. Sultan Razzak, an international entrepreneur sought permission for International Culture University in Dhaka. Dr M Jubaidur Rahman applied for establishing the University of Management Science Bangladesh in Gazipur, while Kamal Uddin Ahmed University of Science and Technology in Gazipur may be established by Kamrunnesa Ratna.
Businessman Abu Noman Halder and Engineer AKM Mosharraf Hossain applied for University of Modern Technology in Banani and International Standard University in Mohakhali respectively. According to the UGC Annual Report 2015, 42 private universities have no vice-chancellor and are mostly run by the acting VCs. Appointment of VCs to eight of those was pending with the Education Ministry.
Seventy-two of the universities have no pro-VC and 52 have no treasurer. Two applications for appointment of pro-VCs and four for appointment of treasurers are pending with the ministry.
Only 12 of the 52 universities operating for seven years have moved to their own campuses. Ten universities are operating their academic activities partially on their own campuses, it said.
UGC Chairman Professor Abdul Mannan said, “The UGC inspected of eight universities and sent the reports to the Education Ministry. Inspection of the rest could not be done due to some errors in the addresses provided by them.”
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said, “The Ministry is working to ensure quality education in the private universities. The ministry has also been putting pressure on them so that they meet all the conditions following the Act.
